DARLINGTON - An Argyle man arrested for the death of his brother earlier this year will not be charged for it, according to the Lafayette County district attorney.
An autopsy of Aaron D. Saalsaa, 27, showed "a lack of any physical evidence" connecting his death to a drunken fight he had with his brother on Broad Street in Argyle at about 3 a.m. Sunday, March 31, according to District Attorney Kate Findley. She issued a statement about the Saalsaa case via Sheriff Scott Pedley on Friday, Nov. 29.
Danial D. Saalsaa, 30, appeared in court shackled and weeping three days after the incident, with about a dozen family members sitting in the courtroom behind him. He was tentatively charged at the time with felony aggravated battery. His bail was set at $5,000.
But the autopsy, which Findley said was conducted by the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Wisconsin, revealed his brother had no facial or head injuries and died of a spontaneous brain hemorrhage with an unknown cause, though similar to a cerebral aneurysm.
Findley quoted the autopsy report as concluding that "no significant facial or scalp-impact trauma is identified that could account for the pattern of hemorrhage."
The only potential criminal charges in the case would have been first-degree intentional homicide or first- or second-degree reckless homicide, Findley wrote in her statement.
"The facts do not establish any grounds for a charge of intentional homicide as there is no evidence that Danial Saalsaa intended to cause the death of his brother during the altercation," Findley wrote. Danial Saalsaa's conduct also didn't show an "utter disregard for human life," which would be the basis for a reckless homicide charge.
"The death of Aaron Saalsaa was certainly tragic," Findley wrote. "However, there is no factual, scientific or legal basis to conclude that his death was the result of any criminal act. Therefore, no criminal charges will be issued."
The Monroe Police Department was called to investigate the case, since the Saalsaa brothers' sister-in-law is Argyle Chief of Police Hayley Saalsaa, who works closely with the sheriff's department.
The investigation showed Aaron Saalsaa was engaged in a physical altercation with Danial Saalsaa when he called his other brother Robert Saalsaa and Robert's wife Hayley Saalsaa at 2:49 a.m. Sunday, March 31. The couple drove to Broad Street, arriving shortly after 3 a.m.
While Robert was trying to stop the fight, Aaron fell, causing Danial and Robert to also fall and land on him. Argyle EMS was dispatched to the scene a few minutes later.
Aaron Saalsaa died the next day at the University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison.
An autopsy of Aaron D. Saalsaa, 27, showed "a lack of any physical evidence" connecting his death to a drunken fight he had with his brother on Broad Street in Argyle at about 3 a.m. Sunday, March 31, according to District Attorney Kate Findley. She issued a statement about the Saalsaa case via Sheriff Scott Pedley on Friday, Nov. 29.
Danial D. Saalsaa, 30, appeared in court shackled and weeping three days after the incident, with about a dozen family members sitting in the courtroom behind him. He was tentatively charged at the time with felony aggravated battery. His bail was set at $5,000.
But the autopsy, which Findley said was conducted by the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Wisconsin, revealed his brother had no facial or head injuries and died of a spontaneous brain hemorrhage with an unknown cause, though similar to a cerebral aneurysm.
Findley quoted the autopsy report as concluding that "no significant facial or scalp-impact trauma is identified that could account for the pattern of hemorrhage."
The only potential criminal charges in the case would have been first-degree intentional homicide or first- or second-degree reckless homicide, Findley wrote in her statement.
"The facts do not establish any grounds for a charge of intentional homicide as there is no evidence that Danial Saalsaa intended to cause the death of his brother during the altercation," Findley wrote. Danial Saalsaa's conduct also didn't show an "utter disregard for human life," which would be the basis for a reckless homicide charge.
"The death of Aaron Saalsaa was certainly tragic," Findley wrote. "However, there is no factual, scientific or legal basis to conclude that his death was the result of any criminal act. Therefore, no criminal charges will be issued."
The Monroe Police Department was called to investigate the case, since the Saalsaa brothers' sister-in-law is Argyle Chief of Police Hayley Saalsaa, who works closely with the sheriff's department.
The investigation showed Aaron Saalsaa was engaged in a physical altercation with Danial Saalsaa when he called his other brother Robert Saalsaa and Robert's wife Hayley Saalsaa at 2:49 a.m. Sunday, March 31. The couple drove to Broad Street, arriving shortly after 3 a.m.
While Robert was trying to stop the fight, Aaron fell, causing Danial and Robert to also fall and land on him. Argyle EMS was dispatched to the scene a few minutes later.
Aaron Saalsaa died the next day at the University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison.