January 03, 2019 09:04 AM

New charges have been filed against the man accused of hitting and killing three Girl Scouts and a mother in a hit-and-run in rural northwestern Wisconsin.

The four were killed in November while they picked up trash along a Chippewa County highway. Vehicular homicide charges were filed against 21-year-old Colten Treu, who authorities say inhaled chemical vapors before he crashed his pickup truck into them. </s> Colten Treu, 21, and his roommate both told authorities there had been a fight for the wheel, but they differ in their accounts of what led to the intervention.

In the moments before Colten Treu's black truck plowed into a group of Girl Scouts along the side of the highway, killing four, there had been a dramatic fight for control of the steering wheel.

Treu and his passenger, John Stender Jr., both admitted to police that Stender grabbed the wheel after they had been inhaling fumes from a keyboard cleaner to get high, but each maintains a different reason for the intervention.

According to Stender, he grabbed the wheel to correct Treu's driving after noticing Treu looked "out of it" and crossed over the center line, according to a criminal complaint obtained by the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Stender said Treu yelled at him, grabbed the wheel, and swerved hard, causing the car to jerk back in the direction of the Girl Scouts.

"Mr Stender stated the next thing he recalled is waking up down the road," the complaint said, according to the Leader-Telegram.

However, Treu claims he didn't pass out and said he had only taken two short huffs from the can of Dustoff both men were using before the crash. He told investigators Stender had been huffing heavily and grabbed the wheel causing Treu to lose control of the vehicle, the complaint said.

After striking into the group of Girl Scouts who had been picking up trash along the rural highway as part of a service project, Treu fled the scene. The car was later found parked in a garage with "significant front-end damage, with weeds observed stuck in the front bumper," the criminal complaint said.

Treu told investigators he saw the group of seven girls and five adults before he crashed into them Saturday around 11:40 a.m., the Leader-Telegram reports.

Jayna S. Kelley, 9; Autumn A. Helgeson, 10; Haylee J. Hickle, 10; and Hickle's mother, Sara Jo Schneider, 32, were all killed in the crash.

A fifth victim, Madalyn Zwiefelhofer, was taken to the hospital with severe injuries. According to the criminal complaint she suffered "traumatic aortic rupture, splenic laceration, pulmonary laceration, hematoma of the left anterior frontal lobe, acute kidney injury and acute hypoxic and hypercarbic respiratory failure."

Treu was formally charged Tuesday with 11 counts, including four counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, four counts of hit-and-run involving death, one count of hit-and-run causing great bodily harm, and one count of intentionally abusing hazardous materials and bail jumping.

Stender has not been charged, and it's not clear yet whether any charges are expected for his involvement in the crash.

[Photo: Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office] </s> LAKE HALLIE, Wis. — A western Wisconsin community on Sunday was grieving the deaths of three Girl Scouts and an adult who were collecting trash along a rural highway when police say a pickup truck veered off the road and hit them before speeding away.

Authorities have not released the names of the girls or the woman who were struck by the truck on Saturday in Lake Hallie, including the name of a fourth girl who survived but was in critical condition at a hospital in Rochester, Minnesota. The girls were members of Troop 3055 and were fourth-grade students at Halmstad Elementary School in adjoining Chippewa Falls, which is about 90 miles (145 kilometers) east of Minneapolis.

“Our hearts are broken for the girls and families of the Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes,” CEO Sylvia Acevedo of Girl Scouts of the USA said in a statement Sunday. “The Girl Scout Movement everywhere stands with our sister Girl Scouts in Wisconsin to grieve and comfort one another in the wake of this terrible tragedy.”

Lake Hallie police Sgt. Daniel Sokup said the pickup, a black Ford F-150, crossed a lane and veered into a roadside ditch, striking the victims. Other members of the troop were picking up trash from the opposite shoulder.

The 21-year-old driver, Colten Treu of Chippewa Falls, sped off but later surrendered and will be charged with four counts of homicide, Sokup said. It was unclear Sunday if Treu had an attorney who could speak for him. Police misspelled Treu’s first name as “Colton” in initial news releases.

Sokup said it was not immediately known if there were other factors that might have led the driver to leave the road. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that the crash happened before a hill and there were no blind spots, and Sokup said it was “not an unsafe area.”

But Cecily Spallees, a personal care attendant at a group home near the crash site, told the newspaper that drivers regularly speed on that stretch of road, which quickly changes from a 55-mph to a 35-mph zone.

“I’m always telling one of my residents that he shouldn’t walk this strip at night,” Spallees said. “It’s not safe.”

Troop 3055’s regional council, the Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes, expressed its condolences on Facebook and said a vigil will be held Sunday evening at the girls’ school. </s> A former youth football coach and scout accused of sexually abusing 11 boys under the age of 16 has died in a car crash just a day before he was due to face trial.

Michael Sean Carson, known as "Kit", 74, stood accused of 12 counts of indecent assault and one of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Carson, from Cambridge, was charged with the alleged offences at Cambridge Crown Court last year after being arrested in January 2017.

But today (January 8) as his trial was due to open it emerged that the defendant had died in a car crash yesterday (January 7).

At Peterborough Crown Court, prosecutor Jeremy Benson said: "The position is that the defendant died yesterday morning.

"He was involved in a road traffic collision at a bout 4.45 yesterday morning.

"No other vehicles were involved and there is an investigation being carried out and therefore I don't propose to go into any other detail."

The alleged offences happened from 1978 to 2009 and involved 11 boys under the age of 16.

Mr Carson's bail conditions included not coaching football or being involved in the scouting process.

Carson, who denied the charges, was previously worked at Norwich City, Peterborough United and Cambridge United.

He also worked extensively in Finland where he began coaching youth teams in 2012, taking UK youth teams on competitive tours of the country.

The trial was due to be presided over by Judge Matthew Lowe.

A spokesman for Cambridgeshire Constabulary said: "Police have identified a man who died following a single-vehicle crash on the A1303 at Bottisham yesterday morning (January 7).

"Michael Carson, 75, of St Bartholomew’s Court, Cambridge, was driving his red Mazda 3 at about 9.45am when it left the road and crashed into a tree.

"Emergency services attempted to save Mr Carson’s life but he was declared dead at the scene a short time later.

"No other vehicle or person was involved in the collision.

"Mr Carson was due to stand trial at Peterborough Crown Court, beginning yesterday, on multiple sexual assault charges alleged to have happened between 1978 and 2009.

"The victims have been informed and efforts are being made to contact all the witnesses.

"Anyone who saw the collision or has dash cam footage should call 101, quoting incident 100 of 7 January." </s> TWO teenagers have been jailed for their involvement in an early morning incident outside a city nightclub which ended with a car hitting a crowd of pedestrians.

Benjamin Thomas, 19, and Callum Banton, 19, both of Newport, appeared in Cardiff Crown Court today after pleading guilty to affray.

The court heard a fight broke out at around 5.30am on the morning of Sunday, April 29, outside the Courtyard night club on Cambrian Road in the city centre.

Today, Judge Jeremy Jenkins made it clear that neither defendant could have foresaw the incident would end with a car ploughing into pedestrians but added that it was their actions which "precipitated" the fight.

Prosecutor Jason Howells showed the court CCTV of Banton “squaring up” with others on the crowded street, before a large brawl broke out involving another group of men.

“And then it’s Thomas that gets involved,” added Mr Howells.

The court heard that both defendants left the scene after a car hit a crowd of pedestrians, leaving four people seriously injured.

Thomas had a number of previous convictions, including for dishonest offences, assault, dangerous driving, and possession of controlled drugs, the court was told.

Banton had one previous conviction for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

In mitigation for Thomas, who appeared on video link from HMP Swansea, Gareth Williams said that the defendant had used his time in custody to reflect on his life.

“His situation has changed dramatically in that he now has a child, who he has only seen once after his girlfriend visited him.

“He is determined to get his life back on track and even if he gets an immediate custodial sentence he will start this process as soon as he is released.”

Harry Baker, speaking in mitigation for Banton, who appeared in court with his mother and was visibly upset throughout the proceedings, spoke of his client's plans to attend college in September to start a carpentry course.

He said: "This would be a big step in terms of his rehabilitation. I would ask your honour to make it possible for him to take part in that course.

"If your honour is against that I ask you to keep the sentence as short as possible.”

But today, addressing both defendants, Judge Jeremy Jenkins said:

“Sadly this is another example of drunken young people in public engaging in violent behaviour.

"What happened thereafter was not your meaning, but it was your actions jointly that precipitated this fight.

"This was a serious case of public disorder precipitated by your actions.

“It seems to me that I would be failing in my duty were I not to say publicly that your actions go well beyond the custody threshold.

“Only a custodial sentence in your cases can be appropriate for your actions.”

Sentencing Thomas to 11 months and Banton to 10 months, the judge added that both defendants would spend half of their sentence in a young offenders institution before being released on licence.

McCauley Cox, of John Ireland Close, Ringland, is to stand trial accused of attempted murder. He denies the charges and will appear in court on October 15.

Detective Chief Inspector Nicholas Wilkie, of Gwent Police, said: “We welcome the sentences handed to Callum Banton and Benjamin Thomas. </s> A youth soccer coach accused of sexually abusing 11 boys was killed in a car crash the day before he was set to stand trial, according to reports.

Michael “Kit” Carson, 75, was driving his Mazda 3 when it slammed into a tree at 9:45 a.m. Monday in Bottisham in East Cambridgeshire, England, BBC News reported citing police.

Prosecutor Jeremy Benson informed Peterborough Crown Court of Carson’s death on Tuesday, when the alleged sexual predator was to begin trial.

“The defendant died yesterday morning,” Benson told Judge Matthew Lowe, who closed the case against Carson.

The ex-coach — who worked for Peterborough United, Cambridge United and Norwich City football clubs — was charged with 11 counts of indecent assault and one count of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity involving boys under 16 years old.

The alleged incidents happened between 1978 and 2009. Carson had pleaded not guilty and was free on bail.

It’s unclear whether he intentionally drove his car off the road and into the tree. No other vehicles or people were involved in the crash. </s> The driver of the tractor-trailer that collided with the Humboldt Broncos team bus has been arrested and charged, RCMP announced on Friday.

Truck driver Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, 29, is facing 16 counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death and 13 counts of dangerous operation of motor vehicle causing bodily injury.

He was arrested at his home in Calgary on Friday morning and remanded into custody. Sidhu is set to appear in court in Saskatchewan next week, but no date has been set.

Convictions for dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death can result in a sentence of up to 14 years in prison, while a conviction for injuring someone could land someone in prison for 10 years.

RCMP Superintendent Derek Williams explains the difference between a dangerous driving charge and driving without due care and attention charge. 0:36

"Whatever happened, happened for a reason," said crash survivor and former Bronco Ryan Straschnitzki. "His intention wasn't to go out and hurt us that day, but that mistake is obviously going to change his life and changed all our lives."

The Humboldt Broncos released a statement Friday afternoon thanking the RCMP and its investigators for their work.

"Our organization has faith in the justice system and we will be watching closely as this court process plays out," the statement read. "Our primary focus continues to be supporting the survivors, families and others that were directly impacted by the tragedy on April 6."

Sidhu was working for the Calgary-based Adesh Deol Trucking Ltd. when the crash occurred at a rural intersection.

He was driving west on Highway 335 in a semi as a Charlie's Charters bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos was northbound on Highway 35 to an SJHL playoff game in Nipawin, Sask.

The team bus was travelling northbound on Highway 35. The semi-trailer was coming from the east on Highway 335. The semi had a stop sign and the bus did not. (CBC )

The bus had the right of way. There is a flashing stop sign for drivers on Highway 335 at Highway 35 between Nipawin and Tisdale. The RCMP said the semi was in the intersection when the vehicles collided.

Sidhu was briefly detained after the April 6 collision then released. He was uninjured.

"I know it has been difficult for many to await the outcome of this police investigation," said Curtis Zablocki, Saskatchewan RCMP commanding officer and assistant commissioner, noting the three-month timeline. "The time it took to do this work — this important work — was necessary."

The Canadian Trucking Alliance said in a statement Friday that once the facts of the case are known, it will work with the provinces and the federal government to improve commercial vehicle safety.

The statement also said the CTA would like to see the results of the investigation into the trucking company that employed Sidhu.

What we know about Sidhu

Sidhu worked for the trucking company for a month prior to the fatal collision, according to owner Sukhmander Singh. Singh said Sidhu trained with him for two weeks and was driving on his own for two more weeks before the crash.

Although Sidhu was not injured in the crash, he did receive trauma counselling in the aftermath.

Sidhu was a bachelor of commerce student at Panjab University in Chandigarh, India, from 2008 until 2012, according to his LinkedIn profile.

He made his way to Calgary on a student visa in 2013 to study for a diploma in business administration at Bow Valley College from 2014 until 2015.

Sidhu's lawyer declined to comment on his client.

The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League's Humboldt Broncos were heading to Nipawin for a playoff game when the collision occurred.

Ten Broncos players died. The six other deaths included the bus driver, an athletic therapist, the head coach, assistant coach and two employees of Humboldt's FM radio station.

Ten members of the Broncos died in the crash. The six other deaths included the bus driver, an athletic therapist, the head coach, assistant coach and two employees of Humboldt's FM radio station. (CBC)

Dangerous driving vs. criminal negligence

Saskatoon-based criminal defence lawyer Brian Pfefferle said dangerous driving is just one of the possible charges that can be laid after serious collisions in Saskatchewan.

Criminal negligence causing death and bodily harm would be among the other possible charges.

Pfefferle said the RCMP's decision to charge Sidhu with dangerous driving suggests the Crown will argue that the driver's behaviour was more than negligence or a momentary lapse of judgment.

In order to secure a conviction, Pfefferle said the Crown will have to prove that the accused was driving in "a manner that constituted a marked departure from the standard of a reasonably prudent driver in the circumstances."

"There's lots of accidents that happen on Saskatchewan roadways where these types of charges aren't laid," said Pfefferle.

"So I'm slightly surprised, I guess, by the fact that they've laid the charge but they obviously know information that the rest of the public doesn't know."

The stop sign

Police have not disclosed the findings of their investigation into how the crash happened.

Brad Muir, an accident investigator with the Collision Reconstruction Group in Ajax, Ont., said he is pleased to see charges laid.

"I think we need to look and dig a little further into the facts of not just going through a stop sign, but what was the speed?" he said.

"We've got obviously a heavily laden commercial vehicle."

Muir believes professional truck drivers need to be held to a high standard.

"I think that's going to go into the decision-making of laying that higher level criminal charge," he said. </s> An off-duty police officer from a suburb of New York City faces vehicular manslaughter and drunk-driving charges after he crashed his jeep into a tree early Monday morning, killing his lifelong friend who was in the passenger's seat.

Harry Kyreakedes, 27, was found to have a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit when he rammed his black Jeep Cherokee into a tree on Mamaroneck Avenue in New Rochelle at 3am, WCBS-TV reported on Monday.

His friend, 27-year-old Isaac Ward, was unresponsive when he was rushed to White Plains Hospital Center, where he later died.

Kyreakedes underwent surgery for serious injuries to his legs.

'The officer preliminarily did have a blood alcohol level of .23, which is close to three times the legal limit,' said White Plains police Commissioner David Chong.

Police said Kyreakedes, 27, a rookie with the force for a year and a half, lost control of the Jeep.

'It hit a parking meter, a traffic sign, and then crashed into a tree on Mamaroneck Avenue,' Chong said.

Those who knew Kyreakedes, who lived in nearby Dobbs Ferry, said he was a 'good kid' who made a 'bad mistake.'

Ward was also remembered fondly by locals.

'He'd come in here, hang out after [softball] games. He was a great guy,' Maurice Gilberti, the owner of Sam's Restaurant in Dobbs Ferry, told The Journal News.

Kyreakedes and Ward lived just a few hundred yards from each other.

'Officers take an oath to protect,' added Chong.

'It's a stark reminder, certainly for my officers who responded to the accident and realized it was an officer from another jurisdiction.'

'It's a stark reminder of the dangers of drinking and driving.' </s> Five people in a car traveling up California’s Interstate 5 just after midnight on Sunday morning had their journey and their lives ended in a fiery head-on collision with a car driving the wrong way, reports KCRA.

The woman driving the Chevrolet south on the freeway’s northbound lanes also died, leaving six dead in total at the nightmarish scene.

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The California Highway Patrol said it began receiving calls of a wrong-way driver around 12:30 a.m. But by the time investigating officers arrived, the Chevrolet had plowed into a Dodge car. Officers found the two cars engulfed in flames outside the small town of Yolo.

Witness Jeremy Morgan was one of the first on the scene after emergency vehicles had arrived. He snapped a few pictures and shared them on his Facebook page.

“Everything was glowing from the fire and the emergency lights,” Morgan told KCRA. “So it was just this big flickering show. It looked like fireworks going off.”

The Dodge was carrying three women and two men, none of whom have been identified. The woman driving the Chevrolet was likewise not identified. The Yolo County Coroner’s Office is closed on Sundays, so the bodies will be identified, at the earliest, on Monday.

Whether drugs or alcohol were involved in crash is not yet known to authorities, but police are investigating the crash.

The burning vehicles left a white residue on the pavement that became visible at daybreak.

“That is very sad,” Sam Diaz, a resident of nearby Woodland, told KCRA. “It’s heartbreaking when you hear something like that about people getting hurt like that, especially if people are driving the wrong way.”

RELATED: The police officer and father of 3 tragically killed on Christmas Eve has been identified

In California, a pilot program was initiated last year to identify devices, such as blinking LED lights and video surveillance, that could potentially reduce the number of wrong-way drivers. In fact, the Sacramento region was picked for the program because it has the highest number of deadly crashes in the state, KCRA reported.

Seventeen off-ramps in Yolo County and Sacramento County were selected as part of the pilot project. However, the devices installed are located only along Interstate 80 and Highway 50. Interstate 5 does not have any of the technologies being tested.
Colten Treu faces charges of vehicular homicide and drug related charges after he drove his car into a group of Girl Scouts collecting trash by the road, killing 3 and a mother along a Wisconsin highway (KSTP) Treu claimed his passenger was huffing Dust-Off and caused the accident by grabbing the wheel as he saw the scouts (Oxygen)