Arpin Woman Appears in Wood County Court for Wrong-Way Driving Death

Tuesday, February 11th, 2025 -- 4:00 PM

(Karen Madden, Marshfield News-Herald) A judge set a $10,000 signature bail Monday for a 71-year-old Arpin woman charged in the 2023 wrong-way driving death of a 25-year-old Arpin man.

According to Karen Madden with the Marshfield News Herald, Elsie R. Punke made her initial appearance Monday on the charge of negligent operation of a motor vehicle for the Dec. 26, 2023, death of Michael Baugh.

Wood County Circuit Judge Timothy Gebert ordered Punke not to drive a motor vehicle and not to have any contact with the victim's family or residence. Punke's attorney, Emily Nolan-Pluchak, questioned Punke's competency during Monday's appearance.

According to a Wood County Sheriff's Office news release, at about 1:30 p.m. Dec. 26, 2023, a Toyota Corolla was going east behind a semi on U.S. 10, which is a four-lane divided highway, near Day Road in the town of Auburndale.

Baugh, who was the driver of the Corolla, moved over to pass the semi. A Toyota Rav4, driven by Punke, was traveling west in the eastbound lane, and the two vehicles hit head on.

According to the criminal complaint, the semi's driver told deputies he saw Punke's vehicle going the wrong way in the eastbound lanes on U.S. 10. He said he tried to alert her that she was driving the wrong way, but she kept going.

The Wood County coroner pronounced Baugh dead at the scene, according to the complaint. A passenger in Baugh's vehicle was transported to Marshfield Medical Center with minor injuries, according to the Sheriff's Office news release.

If Punke is convicted she faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Her next court date was not available Monday morning.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.