Funeral held for mother killed in Wisconsin highway shooting

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (WLS) -- The funeral for a suburban Buffalo Grove mother who was fatally shot while driving her family to the Wisconsin Dells was held Saturday.

The funeral for Tracy Czaczkowski, 42, was held at noon at St. Edna Catholic Church, 2525 N. Arlington Heights Rd. in Arlington Heights. Her burial followed.

Many Drug Enforcement Agency officers and officials were in attendance, as Czaczkowski's husband works for the agency, including the special agent in charge of the Chicago office, who shared her thoughts.

"This is a horrific tragedy that everyone can relate to," Karen Flowers said. "It has been very meaningful, the outreach and love of the community around the nation for the family. It's a reaffirmation that people are good."

A community of mourners are struggling with the untimely loss of a woman they say was a wonderful wife, mother, daughter and friend.

"We're family and this hurts us to our core, because we can't do anything. We're here to protect and serve, and we couldn't protect her," Flowers said.

On Friday, hundreds of family members and friends gathered for a visitation in Arlington Heights.

Czaczkowski's two children and husband were also in the car when shots were fired on I-90/94 near Lake Delton, Wis. She was airlifted to a hospital where she died.

Jeremy Hays, 30, has been charged in connection with her shooting. Hays was allegedly riding in a Chevy Blazer with his brother Zachary, who is accused of firing the shot that killed Czaczkowski. He is charged with possession of a firearm and appeared in court on Friday in Dane County, Wis.

Police chased the Hays brothers for nearly 20 miles before road spikes were used to stop them. Zachary Hays is also suspected of killing his downstairs neighbor hours earlier in suburban Milwaukee.

Jeremy Hays' lawyer said in court Friday that Jeremy wrestled one gun away from his younger brother and tried to stop him from firing three rounds into the Czaczkowski's family sedan. Police say Zachary fired the three .45 caliber rounds into the car anyway, striking Tracy in the neck and killing her. He is charged with murder.

A GoFundMe campaign for Czaczkowski's children has raised over $100,000. Click here to see that campaign.