MONROE — Green County authorities investigated several serious accidents in recent days within just a few miles of one another — including a crash that killed at 25-year-old Brodhead man, a second wreck that led to charges of a 5th OWI, and another accident that seriously injured a pair of teenagers.
Killed in the first crash was Jacob Riley, 25 of Brodhead. He is Green County’s second traffic fatality for 2022.
The crash was reported just before 7:45 a.m. on Thursday, March 31. According to police reports, officers responded to the scene on Wis. 104 north of County Highway A, in the Town of Albany.
“At the time of the crash, road conditions were wet and slush covered from ongoing snow,” police said in a statement.
Deputies arrived to find Freightliner straight truck “blocking the entire roadway and a sport utility vehicle on the east side of the roadway.” At that point, Green County Deputies immediately began life saving measures on the driver of the sport utility vehicle until he was transferred to EMS crews, police said.
A preliminary investigation revealed that a 2003 Nissan Murano sport utility vehicle was northbound on Wis. 104 when it lost control. The SUV crossed the centerline into the path of the Freightliner, which came to rest across all lanes of Wis. 104.
Riley, the driver of the Nissan, was taken by Brodhead EMS to Mercy Hospital in Janesville, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Riley reportedly was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of crash and airbags did not deploy.
The driver of the freightliner, identified by authorities as Robin Greenland 62 of Westby, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported by Albany EMS to Mercy Hospital in Janesville. He was wearing a seat belt.
Green County deputies were assisted by Rock County Sheriff’s Deputies, Wisconsin State Patrol, Albany Fire Department, Albany Emergency Medical Services, Brodhead Fire Department, Brodhead Emergency Medical Services and Green County Emergency Medical Services. The Green County Highway Department assisted with barricades and road detour routes.
Less than 12 hours later, an Albany man was charged with this fifth operating while intoxicated offense following a one-car accident.
Just after 7:05 p.m., Albany Police Officers — assisted by Green County Sheriff’s Deputies, Albany EMS, and the Albany Fire Department — responded to the 700 block of Vine St, for a single vehicle accident with injuries.
According to reports, Dale L. Finley, 40 of Albany, was eastbound on Wis. 59 just outside the Albany village limits when he entered the South ditch and lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a curve. Finley, who was reportedly not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the vehicle. He was transported for additional care by the EMS unit.
As a result, Finley was charged with OWI-5th offense and also received citations for operating while suspended, driving too fast for conditions, failure to maintain control of a vehicle, and failure to wear a seatbelt.
The accident happened less than four miles due west of Riley’s wreck.
In the third crash, just 29 hours after Finley’s crash on April 2, deputies responded to another accident, this time about five miles south of the site of Riley’s fatal wreck. Just after 12:15 a.m. to the N4600 block of Wis. 104, in Decatur Township.
When deputies arrived, they discovered a white 2001 Chevrolet Silverado in the west ditch off the road, with the cab of the truck separated from the frame and wedged between two trees. The frame of the vehicle was resting against a tree in the west ditch, police said.
According to police reports, the driver, James Schwartz, 16, of Evansville, was traveling southbound on Wis. 104, at “a high rate of speed” when he was allegedly distracted by his phone and lost control of the vehicle. James sustained significant, non-life-threatening injuries. He was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash and the airbags did not deploy.
A 14-year-old passenger with him also sustained injuries characterized as significant but non-life-threatening. Following their investigation, the teen driver was taken into custody for OWI causing great bodily harm, to a passenger under 16, and reckless driving causing great bodily harm.
Schwartz was also issued citations for unreasonable and imprudent speed, left of center, inattentive driving, operating after probationary license hours, failure to fasten seat belt, failure to maintain control of vehicle, and underage drinking.