Homicide charges sought in crash that killed couple

The Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office is seeking homicide charges against a  Milwaukee man who drove the wrong way on I-43 near Port Washington early Monday morning and struck a vehicle driven by an Oostburg couple head on, killing them both and injuring their adult daughter.

Nicole and Jay Horne, 51 and 56, respectively, were pronounced dead at the scene. Their daughter Alissa, 22, also of Oostburg, was seriously injured and taken to Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa, where she was in intensive care on Tuesday and awaiting surgery, according to a family member’s social media post.

Her injuries include a broken left wrist, two broken femurs and a broken ankle, the post said.

Nicole was driving while Jay was in the front passenger seat and Alissa sat in the rear, according to an Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office press release.

According to the press release, the crash occurred just north of Highway H in the Town of Port Washington when a 2025 Lexus driven by Ace Vue, 34, of Milwaukee slammed head on into the Hornes’ 2017 Ford Escape at about 12:44 a.m. Monday, May 26, while traveling south in the northbound lanes.

Vue was transported by ambulance to Aurora Medical Center in Grafton and then flown by a Flight for Life helicopter to Froedtert Hospital in critical condition, according to the press release.

He remained hospitalized on Tuesday.

Ozaukee County Sheriff Christy Knowles said on Tuesday her office is seeking charges of first degree reckless homicide and reckless driving causing great bodily harm against Vue.

She said additional charges may be sought.

According to the press release, 911 calls began to come in at about 12:37 a.m. from motorists who saw the Lexus traveling the wrong way at about Jay Road in the Town of Belgium.

The northbound lanes on I-43 were closed at Highway H for about five hours while the crash was investigated.

The press release said it’s unknown if alcohol or drugs played a factor in the crash.

Assisting the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office at the scene were the Port Washington, Cedarburg, Ozaukee Central and Fredonia fire departments and the Port Washington, Saukville and Grafton police departments, Ozaukee County Highway Department, Ozaukee County Crash Reconstruction Team, Ozaukee County Emergency Management and Eddie’s Service.