Two people were killed and three others injured during a three vehicle accident on I-41 in Fond du Lac late Wednesday morning. It happened just south of State Highway 23 and involved a semi, jeep, and another vehicle. The jeep overturned and the person in it was ejected. Flight for Life flew that person to ThedaCare in Neenah . Two others were taken to an area hospital. Fond du Lac Fire Chief Peter O’Leary says they cut a hole through a fence on the frontage road to gain access to the victims.
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Dodge County Sheriff’s officials say a teen whose vehicle slid into a bridge on Welsh Road has died. Gabrielle Spende of rural Watertown was on a curve on the road when her vehicle spun and slid into the bridge under State Highway 26. She was flown to Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee where she died Wednesday. The accident happened Monday afternoon.
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One of the jurors in a Fond du Lac County homicide case may have talked about it with someone from outside the jury. Deputy District Attorney Dennis Krueger told Judge Gary Sharpe Wednesday they had learned that a male juror had talked to someone at his workplace about the strength of evidence in the trial for Dennis Brantner. Brantner is suspected of murdering 18-year-old Berit Beck in the summer of 1990.
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Two men were critically injured when their vehicle failed to negotiate a curve on St. Helena Road early Wednesday morning. Dodge County Sheriff’s officials say 34-year-old Ryan Rhadans of Watertown went off the road, struck an embankment and his vehicle vaulted. It hit a tree and overturned. Flight for Life flew him to Aurora Medical Center in Summit . A passenger, 33-year-old Timothy Bradfield of Juneau , was flown by Flight for Life to Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee . The accident was reported at 3:41 a.m.
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A 17-year-old Sheboygan man has lost his appeal to overturn his conviction for murdering his great-grandmother in Sheboygan Falls in 2012. A state appeals court upheld the life sentence of Antonio Barbeau who was 14 when he was sentenced. He and Nathan Paape killed 78-year-old Barbara Olsen with a hammer and a hatchet. Paape also got life in prison for his role in the murder.Â
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The Fond du Lac County Board this week approved a pair of resolutions asking for a study on the impact of wind turbines on human health. One copy will be sent to the Governor and state legislators from the area and the other to the Wisconsin Counties Association. Supervisor Marty Schroeder (SHRAY-dur) was the lone vote against the ordinances. He said the County Board passed a similar resolution 3 ½ years ago, but it did not accomplish anything. Supervisor Brenda Schneider said $250,000 was actually included in the state budget for study, but the Joint Finance Committee took it out.
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Alliant Energy officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Sheboygan for completion of an air quality improvement project at the Edgewater Generating System. The $250 million investment is expected to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by 90 percent. Up to 300 people were employed during installation of the environmental technology.
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A Campbellsport woman was among 15 women to receive the Governor’s Trailblazer Awards for Women in Business Wednesday. Dr. Ann Schlaefer of Schlaefer Optometrists picked up one of the awards highlighting women-owned businesses. Schlaefer was recognized with the Torchbearer Award. The awards were presented at the State Capitol.