Brookfield I-94 shooting; Milwaukee woman pleads no contest, sentenced

WAUKESHA, Wis. - A Milwaukee woman accused of shooting at a vehicle on I-94 in Brookfield back in 2023 pleaded no contest and was sentenced to prison on Monday, Jan. 12. 2026.

29-year-old Rosita Sims was originally charged with first-degree recklessly endangering safety, discharging a firearm from a vehicle, and carrying a concealed weapon.

She pleaded no contest to the first charge, and had the other two charges dismissed and read in.

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In court

What they're saying:

In court on Monday for the sentencing hearing, the prosecution, the judge, and Sims all spoke before the sentence was handed down.

"I would disagree that Ms. Simms has learned a lot of lessons out of this because she continues to hem and haw as to what she actually did, and it doesn't strike me that she really fully appreciates what she did and is not in a spot where she can take full responsibility," said Waukesha County Prosecutor Randy Sitzberger. "I understand she's entered a plea, but I don't think she's accepted full responsibility She had a great difficulty last week telling this court that she pulled the trigger on this firearm. She continues to want to say it was an accident, that yes, she pointed the gun, but she didn't mean to shoot it."

"I would first like to apologize to the court. I would also like to apologize again to the victim. I've been worried this whole time," said Rosita Sims. "And I sincerely apologize. I did not want her to be caught in the crossfire that was not supposed to happen. I sincerely apologized. I didn't want that to go that way. And I really wish it would've went differently. I really wish that I was able to calm down my emotions and talk to myself. I really wish I had the support then that I have now."

"And the fact that you've taken up treatment, you've looked for help and so on, that makes a big difference to me. And what it does is mitigate what I think might or could have been a longer term of imprisonment," said Judge Ralph Ramirez. "But I have to tell you, and anyone else that's got a gun and wants to stick that gun out the window and shoot at somebody because you disagree with the way they're driving, it is not acceptable, and it will not be tolerated…you invoke the use of deadly force because you've got anger in your gut, and it is absolutely, totally not acceptable. There is zero tolerance for gunplay in that kind of case. Zero tolerance."

Sentencing

What we know:

The prosecution recommended five years in prison and five years of extended supervision, and the defense recommended 12 months of Huber work release and then leaving the rest of the conditions up to the court.

The judge ultimately sentenced Sims to three years in prison and four years of extended supervision.

Original reporting | December 2023

The backstory:

A Milwaukee woman is accused of shooting at a vehicle on I-94 in Brookfield on Nov. 20.

Prosecutors charged Rosita Sims with first-degree recklessly endangering safety, discharging a firearm from a vehicle and carrying a concealed weapon.

Two people called 911 to report someone brandishing a gun on I-94 eastbound near Moorland Road. A criminal complaint states one of those callers was the victim, who said the driver of another vehicle was "driving recklessly between lanes" and "yelling" before firing shots. A bullet was later found in the passenger side wheel well area of the victim's vehicle.

Based on a vehicle description and partial license plate, investigators developed Sims as a possible suspect. The complaint states Sims would "oftentimes" drop a man off at work in Waukesha County around 6 a.m. Deputies found her vehicle near that workplace the morning of Dec. 15 and conducted a traffic stop.

The complaint states Sims did not have a valid driver's license and had a gun concealed in her purse – but did not have a concealed carry permit. The gun was loaded with a magazine and had a round in the chamber.

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During an interview with detectives, the complaint states Sims said she grabbed her purse on her way out of the house that morning and forgot she had her gun inside. She admitted she did not have a concealed carry permit. 

Sims was asked to recall a November "road rage" incident during that interview, per the complaint. She said she remembered "a lady trying to run her off the road" and said she "rolled down her window to yell" at that driver. When detectives told her a bullet hole was found in a woman's car, the complaint states Sims said she "did not mean to hurt" anyone before admitting her gun went off. She said she was "scared" and "just took off."