Officials dismiss homicide charge

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
June 8, 2010

Remember the recent stories about the Wisconsin deputy sheriff who died up near Minocqua, when he piled into the back of a farm truck that had just entered the roadway?

According to a Vilas County newspaper, a final crash report by the Wisconsin State Patrol showed that the deputy sheriff was traveling 101 mph and without using his red lights and siren. He was traveling toward a location to help out a fellow officer in another jurisdiction. An earlier report said he had not been dispatched on that call.

The deputy's speed and lack of use of emergency equipment caused prosecutors to dismiss a charge of homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle against the truck driver. The other driver had been initially charged with homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle.

Vilas County Deputy Sheriff Kory Dahlvig died on April 25, when he was involved in a two-vehicle accident on Highway 47 in the town of Lac du Flambeau.

The accident investigators concluded that the truck driver was driving while intoxicated and was "...operating an unregistered truck that was unfit for road operation. Officials are certain that the three running lamps on the rear of the dump box and the left rear brake and turn lamp were not illuminated at the time of the crash." From earlier reports the truck driver intended to be in the roadway for only about 150 feet before turning into a field.

The crash happened at dusk, but before darkness.

How fast are you traveling at 101MPH?
533,280 feet in one hour
8,888 feet in one minute (1.68 miles/minute)
148 feet every second

Source: www.vilascountynewsreview.com/full.php?id=18722