Fatal crash leads to felony charge
By Robert Cloud
Investigators say a Clintonville teen sent a Facebook Message threatening to kill himself minutes before he was in a fatal crash around 11 a.m. Saturday, May 30, in the town of Bear Creek.
Waupaca County District Attorney Veronica Isherwood charged Logan Patrick Stedjee, 17, with first-degree reckless homicide Tuesday, June 2.
According to the criminal complaint, witnesses said Stedjee was driving at 90-100 mph westbound on County Trunk D.
He reportedly crossed U.S. Highway 45 without slowing or stopping at the controlled intersection.
Stedjee told Waupaca County Deputy Justin Malueg he went airborne while crossing U.S. 45, then lost control when his vehicle made contact with the roadway.
He crossed into the wrong lane of traffic, then slammed into an eastbound red pickup truck that had slowed to stop at the intersection of County Trunk O and State 45, he complaint says.
County O is to the west of State 45, and County D is directly to the east.
The woman driving the pickup died in a head-on collision.
Authorities have not released her name.
When Waupaca County Deputy Stevens asked why he ran the stop sign, Stedjee reportedly replied because he was depressed.
Detective Sgt. Tim Myers performed a forensics analysis of Stedjee’s cellphone.
Myers reported finding a Facebook message that Stedjee sent three minutes before the first 911 call reporting the crash.
The message indicated that Stedjee would crash his car and kill himself, the complaint says.
Stedjee suffered broken bones in his foot and finger.
He faces up to 60 years in prison if convicted of first-degree recklesss homicide.