Fatal Milwaukee crash; victim's family seeks closure months later
Family speaks after fatal Mother's Day crash
Eight months after a Mother’s Day crash killed Tonya Missouri-Smith, her family says delays in the reckless homicide case have made grieving harder as they continue seeking closure.
MILWAUKEE - Eight months after a reckless driving crash killed a wife and mother on Mother’s Day, the family of Tonya Missouri-Smith says the prolonged court process has made an already painful loss even harder.
What we know:
Missouri-Smith was killed May 10 in a multi-vehicle crash. Her son was also in the car at the time. She was well known in the community through her family’s business, Mae Velma’s Corned Beef.
"There are good days, there are bad days. But we just try to hold each other together best we can," said Tyrisha Smith, her daughter. "She was a very present mother."
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At the time of the crash, the family said they were not ready to speak publicly. After months of court hearings, they say they are now looking for answers and accountability.
"It’s just a lot of pain," said Tyron Smith, her husband. "So when we have to go into the courtroom, sometimes it’s just really hard to deal with."
Dig deeper:
Prosecutors have charged 32-year-old Ajena Wynn-Howard with first-degree reckless homicide. Investigators say she was driving more than 100 miles per hour in a 35-mile-per-hour zone when she crashed into two vehicles.
Prosecutors say Wynn-Howard admitted at the scene that she caused the crash. Family members say they expected the case to move quickly but instead feel stalled by delays.
"The court process and things like that…I can’t really get my head around it," said Tyron Smith Jr., her son.
Fatal multi-vehicle crash in Milwaukee; 1 dead, 3 injured
One person is dead, one person was arrested, and multiple people were injured in a multi-vehicle crash in Milwaukee late Saturday night, May 10, 2025.
Court records show Wynn-Howard pleaded not guilty in June. In December, her defense team hired an expert to evaluate her for a possible not guilty by reason of insanity plea.
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What they're saying:
"It is grueling on the family because here is a person that initially admitted it – hey I crashed the car, I killed someone. I was the driver – she admitted everything on the scene," said Tyron Smith. "And then we’re still going through the process of no it wasn’t me or this happened or that happened, so we are just trying to stay calm as we can."
Wynn-Howard is scheduled to return to court on Feb. 3. Missouri-Smith’s family is asking community members to attend the hearing in support.
They also say they remain grateful for the support they have received and appreciate hearing stories customers continue to share about Tonya.
The Source: The information in this post was collected and produced by FOX6 News.