(Wright County Attorney – Brian Lutes)
Wright County Attorney Brian Lutes announced in recent days that his department has filed a criminal complaint against a woman from Cologne in connection with a fatal car-pedestrian crash in Rockford in early May.
36-year-old Charlotte Breton of Cologne was charged with Aid and Abet Criminal Vehicular Homicide and Aid and Abet Criminal Vehicular Operation for a crash that occurred in Rockford just before 2 PM on May 3rd, 2026. Both charges are felonies.
Breton’s 15-year-old daughter was driving the mini-van at the time of the crash while Breton was a front seat passenger. The teen driver reportedly had completed driver’s education, but had not yet received a learner’s permit.
County Attorney Lutes said the details of the investigation showed that Breton’s daughter drove in a grossly negligent manner within an intersection, driving over the curb, onto the sidewalk, and crashed into two adult females who were walking on the sidewalk. 55-year-old Laura Bachinski of Rockford was killed in the incident, while the other victim suffered serious injuries.
According to background information in the criminal complaint in the case, both the driver and her mother told investigators that it was possible that the driver may have stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake when the vehicle began veering out of control.
Click here to see the full criminal complaint.
