CRASH
R EPORTS Two vehicle crashes
On March 20, at 7:53 a.m., a vehicle operated by Mason Harris, 17, of Medford, was northbound on S. 4th Street in the city of Medford and stopped at the stop sign with Hwy 64. A vehicle operated by Jason Scott, 18, of Rib Lake, was northbound approaching the intersection. According to the crash report, Scott stated he was unable to slow/stop due to icy road condition. Scott attempted to turn to avoid colliding with Harris, but was unable to resulting in an offset collision with the Harris vehicle causing minor damage to both vehicles.
On March 11, at 3 p.m., a vehicle operated by Heather Strebig, 50, of Rib Lake, was traveling northbound on Hwy 13 in the town of Chelsea. According to the crash report, Strebig began to slow down and signal a left turn to turn westbound on Whittlesey Ave. A vehicle operated by Carole Pritzl, 86, of Park Falls, attempted to pass Strebig on the left side. The Pritzl vehicle struck the rear driver’s side bumper, causing minor damage to both vehicles. Pritzl was cited for passing in a no-passing zone.
One vehicle crashes
On March 17, at 9:23 p.m. a vehicle operated by Rudy Mendoza Carranza, 34, of Medford, was westbound on Allman Ave. in the town of Medford. According to the crash report, the vehicle was estimated to be traveling at above the posted speed. The vehicle crossed the center of the road entering the south ditch and struck trees and continued westbound a short distance. The vehicle struck another tree(s) causing the vehicle to point eastbound. The vehicle came to rest facing east in the eastbound lane of Allman Ave. The driver sustained fatal injures and the vehicle was towed with disabling damage. The road was closed from 9:35 p.m. until 11:02 p.m.
On March 19, at 6 p.m., a vehicle operated by Cameron Menning, 16, of Rib Lake, was traveling southbound on CTH C just north of Fawn Ave. in the town of Rib Lake, when it lost control due to traveling at a speed too fast for the icy road condition. The vehicle crossed the centerline and then corrected and continued to lose control. The vehicle entered the west ditch and came to its final rest in a driveway facing northeast. This caused the vehicle to have disabling damage. According to the crash report, the driver stated multiple times that he couldn’t get his vehicle under control and he was driving the speed limit (55 mph) but should have been going slower. Menning was cited for failure to maintain control and operating a vehicle without insurance.
On March 12, at 8:22 p.m., a vehicle operated by Alexis Fuentez, 18, of Prentice, was traveling southbound on CTH D/Kennedy St. in the town of Rib Lake. According to the crash report, Fuentez stated a deer exited the east ditch of CTH D. The driver stated the oncoming vehicle swerved into their lane to avoid the deer, which caused Fuentez to to swerve as well to avoid a collision. Fuentez advised they lost control and crashed into the east ditch of CTH D and overturned. The vehicle sustained disabling damage.
Parking lot crash
On March 14, at around 7:19 p.m., in the Camp 28 parking lot in the village of Rib Lake, a vehicle operated by Brittany Stanke, 27, of Westboro, began backing up. According to the crash report, the Stanke vehicle struck a legally parked vehicle owned by Lester Fliehs of Rib Lake. After striking the Fliehs vehicle Stanke drove forward, opened the drivers side door and looked at the Fliehs vehicle before closing her door and driving off without informing the owner of the second vehicle about the crash. There was no damage to the Stanke vehicle and minor damage to the Fliehs vehicle.
Deer related crashes
On March 16, at 7:29 p.m., a vehicle operated by Richard Noziska, 60, of Westboro, struck a deer while westbound on FH 12/CTH D in the town of Rib Lake. The vehicle was towed due to disabling damage.
On March 11, at 8:30 p.m., a vehicle operated by Kelly Holzl, 58, of Rib Lake, struck a deer while northbound on CTH C in the town of Greenwood. The vehicle sustained functional damage.
