Two Fond du Lac County teenagers were hurt, one critically, and another died when the car in which they were riding struck trees. The fatal car accident remains under investigation by the Wisconsin State Patrol.
An 18-year-old Eden man lost control of a vehicle on Highway 45 during the middle of the night. Reported sources, unconfirmed by investigators, stated the teens were headed home from a party in Madison when the motor vehicle accident occurred.
Police reports said the car crossed the centerline before slamming into a group of trees next to the South Hills Golf and Country Club. Investigators reported there was no indication that the driver attempted to brake before the crash.
The 17-year-old Dotyville boy who died was a passenger. A Campbellsport passenger, also 17, was hospitalized in critical condition. Rescue crews were forced to extricate the driver, listed in good condition at a Neenah hospital.
Authorities are hoping to talk with the surviving teenagers. Neither the driver nor the injured passenger has been able to communicate with state police about the crash.
In the meantime, accident reconstruction crews are gathering evidence and coming to their own conclusions. Early reports from investigators said drug or alcohol use were not suspected. Authorities said speeding may have been a factor, although police would not affirm that suspicion.
Wisconsin State Patrol did not share any information about the possibility of criminal charges against the driver.
Three Wisconsin families have been changed forever by the fatal accident. One family is mourning the loss of a child, whose life ended on the brink of adulthood. Another family is coping with their son’s critical injuries, perhaps wondering whether they will also lose a child.
Civil lawsuits may be filed by the families of the teen who died and the survivor facing a possible lifetime disability. Wrongful death and personal injury complaints could allow the families to receive compensation for the losses they and their loved ones experienced.
Source: fdlreporter.com, “Memorial created for Campbellsport students involved in crash,” Samantha Strong, Dec. 10, 2012
