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Felony hit-and-run charged

Waupaca business owner arrested at shop

By Robert Cloud


Clumpner
Clumpner

Investigators say the woman who hit a pedestrian with her van without stopping on Aug. 19 was texting a friend about obtaining drugs shortly before the crash.

Elizabeth A. Clumpner, 35, Waupaca, was charged Friday with first-degree reckless injury and hit-and-run causing great bodily harm.

Deputies were dispatched to the E1800 block of King Road in Farmington at 8:37 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19.

A 23-year-old woman, identified in the criminal complaint as KNJ, had been struck by a vehicle and seriously injured. The vehicle left the scene without stopping.

KNJ was taken by ambulance to ThedaCare Medical Center in Waupaca, then transported to Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah. She was later placed into a medically induced coma with severe head and possible spinal injuries.

A witness who had been walking eastbound on King Road with KNJ told deputies that the suspect vehicle was a maroon van. Deputies found a piece of the van at the scene.

On Thursday, Aug. 20, the Waupaca County Sheriff’s Office received an anonymous tip that the suspect vehicle was parked outside Big City Trendz Salon at E1247 County Trunk Q in Farmington.

When deputies arrived at the salon, they found Clumpner and a man looking over a maroon van with a severely damaged front passenger-side bumper and an egg-shaped, cracked indentation on the front windshield.

According to the criminal complaint, Clumpner said she had just learned that she hit a person with her van.

Clumpner told deputies that she had been playing volleyball at Chain O’ Lakes Bar & Grill from 7-8 p.m., drank some beer, then began driving home after 8 p.m.

Investigators say her initial account indicated she turned right on King Road and that it was raining and dark out. She reportedly told investigators that she heard a bump, thought she hit a garbage can, stopped and exited her vehicle, but did not see or hear anything.

She later said she was eastbound on Rural Road, struck garbage can or mailbox, but never stopped and just checked her rearview mirror.

Clumpner initially told investigators that she did not call the police because she did not think it was a big deal, She later said she did not call because her driver’s license was suspended and she did not have auto insurance, the complaint says.

Investigators say Clumpner admitted she had taken some Adderall the morning after the accident.

A review of Clumpner’s cellphone found that she had been texting a friend, trying to obtain some Adderall. Several messages were sent and received at 8:25 p.m. and again at 8:35 p.m.

Judge Vicki Clussman ordered that Clumpner be held in custody on a $10,000 cash bail.

She faces 25 years in prison if convicted of first-degree reckless injury.

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