BARRON COUNTY — On May 29, 2023, a tragic two-vehicle collision at the intersection of County Road A and State Highway 25 in Barron County resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries. Brody M. Bleskacek, 17, failed to stop at a stop sign while driving a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze, leading to a collision with a 2001 Ford Econoline van driven by H.S., 54. The van, transporting an Amish family, overturned and caught fire, resulting in the deaths of the Amish father, E.G., and Bleskacek’s brother, S.L., at the scene. Another brother, P.B., succumbed to injuries days later.
Despite extensive investigation, no evidence of reckless or negligent driving by Bleskacek was found, and the crash was attributed to a combination of factors including sun glare and a missing traffic sign. Bleskacek will receive a traffic citation for failing to yield the right-of-way, according to a press release issued Thursday from Barron County District Attorney Brian Wright.
Press Release
DESCRIPTION OF FATAL CRASH
On Monday, May 29, 2023 at approximately 5:52 PM, deputies with the Barron County Sheriff's Department, along with multiple other law enforcement agencies and EMS personnel responded to a report of a two-vehicle crash with multiple injuries at the intersection of County Road A and State Highway 25, in Barron County. The crash occurred when the driver of a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze, who was identified as Brody M. Bleskacek, did not stop at the stop sign for traffic traveling westbound on County Road A. Airbag Control Module (ACM) data obtained as part of the crash reconstruction performed by the Wisconsin State Patrol indicates the Chevrolet Cruze entered the intersection at a speed of between 40-45 mph.
Mr. Bleskacek was 17 years old when he failed to stop at the stop sign and entered the intersection of County Road A and State Highway 25. In the car with Mr. Bleskacek were his three brothers, two of whom, P.B. and S.L., were seated in the backseat. S.J.L. was seated in the front passenger seat. Mr. Bleskacek was driving home to Elmwood after he and his brothers had spent time together with their parents boating and fishing on the Chetek Chain of Lakes for Memorial Day weekend. Mr. Bleskacek had a valid driver's license and was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
A 2001 Ford Econoline van, driven by H.S., was traveling northbound on State Highway 25 when the Chevrolet Cruze being driven by Mr. Bleskacek failed to stop at the stop sign. H.S. was driving an Amish family of seven children, and their mother and father, to the Amish family's home north of Spooner. H.S. was traveling at the posted speed limit of 55 mph. H.S. was 54 years old at the time of the crash. H.S. also had a valid driver's license and was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
H.S. attempted to avoid striking the Chevrolet Cruze, as evidenced by skid marks that were left by the van on State Highway 25. The skid marks began in the van's lane of travel south of the intersection and extended to where the van left the roadway and overturned.
The Ford Econoline van struck the Chevrolet Cruz in the left rear door area of the car behind the driver side door. The van overturned after striking the Chevrolet Cruze and came to rest upside down in the west ditch, northwest of the intersection. The Chevrolet Cruze rotated counter-clockwise and came to rest upright in the west ditch, northwest of the intersection. The van caught on fire and quickly became engulfed in flames.
All available law enforcement units and first responders were dispatched to the scene of the crash. H.S. was severely injured, but was able to remove himself from the van before it became engulfed in flames. First responders attended to H.S. when they arrived. H.S., who survived, was transported from the scene of the crash to a hospital in Minnesota where he was treated for a rib fracture, rotator cuff injury to his left shoulder, and acute blood loss.
Deputies on scene assisted in getting others out of the vehicles. One of the deputies who assisted in getting the Amish family out of the van before it became engulfed in flames was hospitalized for smoke inhalation. The seven Amish children and their mother survived the crash. However, despite life saving measures that were performed on the father of the Amish family, E.G. died at the scene of the crash.
Life saving measures were also performed on P.B. and S.L., who were seated in the backseat of the Chevrolet Cruze when the crash occurred. Despite the life saving measures that were performed, S.L. also died at the scene of the crash. P.B. died several days later at the hospital.
NO PROSECUTION OF CRIMINAL CHARGES
The Barron County Sheriff's Department interviewed and obtained statements from witnesses at the scene of the fatal crash. No evidence was obtained in the course of the crash investigation that Mr. Bleskacek was driving recklessly or in a criminally negligent manner when he failed to stop at the stop sign and entered the intersection of County Road A and State Highway 25. Mr. Bleskacek was not talking on his cell phone, nor was he distracted by anything that was happening in the car as he approached the stop sign on County Road A.
The crash investigation includes information that is set forth in the Accident Reconstruction Report prepared by the Wisconsin State Patrol. The information in the Accident Reconstruction Report identifies the position of the sun and sunlight facing Mr. Bleskacek as a likely contributing factor in the crash. Historical weather data (suncalc.org) was used to quantify the location of the sun and angle of the sunlight that was facing Mr. Bleskacek as he approached the stop sign on County Road A.
On May 29, 2024 at approximately 5:52 PM, the Wisconsin State Patrol replicated the sun's position and sunlight facing Mr. Bleskacek by having a Trooper drive a vehicle west on County Road A, approaching the intersection with State Highway 25, at the same speed and nearly identical driving conditions as existed on May 29, 2023 at approximately 5:52 PM. Two notable observations were made.
One, is that the angle of the sunlight caused the stop ahead sign, which is yellow in color, to blend into the surroundings making it easier for a motorist to have missed seeing the sign, especially a motorist who was unfamiliar with the approaching intersection. The other is that the left and right arrow sign indicating a "T" intersection, which is located directly across the intersection facing County Road A, is, because of its larger size, more readily observable earlier to motorists approaching the intersection than the stop sign.
Supplemental information in the Accident Reconstruction Report is that, at the time of the crash, the location of the stop ahead sign was posted approximately 1,064 feet from the stop sign. There were no rumble strips on County Road A, approaching the intersection with State Highway 25. The left and right arrow sign indicating a "T" intersection, which would normally have been located directly across the intersection facing County Road A, had been knocked down and was not present when Mr. Bleskacek failed to stop at the stop sign on County Road A.
It should be noted that, following the fatal crash on May 29, 2023, the Department of Transportation attached a blinking amber light to the stop ahead sign. Three sets of rumble strips were added to the roadway on County Road A, for traffic approaching the stop sign at the intersection of County Road A and State Highway 25. The left and right arrow sign indicating a "T" intersection was also fixed.
I have determined, after reviewing the investigation of this fatal crash conducted by the Barron County Sheriff's Department and Wisconsin State Patrol, and considering the wishes of the families whose loved ones died or were injured in this crash, not to criminally charge Mr. Bleskacek. The speed at which Mr. Bleskacek was traveling when he entered the intersection demonstrates that he did not see the stop sign until it was too late for him to come to a stop.
It is likely that a combination of factors contributed to Mr. Bleskacek's failure to see the stop sign as discussed in the Accident Reconstruction Report, none of which were the result of him driving in a reckless or criminally negligent manner. In addition, I have taken into consideration Mr. Bleskacek's relative lack of driving experience at the age of 17 years old when the crash occurred, and his lack of familiarity with County Road A on his way home to Elmwood.
The fatal crash that occurred on May 29, 2023, was a tragic accident. The interests of justice would not be served, and would only further add to the tragedy of what occurred, by criminally charging Mr. Bleskacek in the absence of any evidence that he operated the vehicle he was driving in a reckless or criminally negligent manner.
ISSUANCE OF TRAFFIC CITATION
The rules of the road require a motorist to come to a complete stop before entering a through highway, and the motorist shall yield the right-of-way to other vehicles which have entered or are approaching the intersection upon the through highway. Accordingly, Mr. Bleskacek will be issued a citation for violating Section 346.18(3) of the Wisconsin statutes resulting in great bodily harm to H.S. No additional citations will be issued to Mr. Bleskacek in accordance with the wishes .of the families whose loved ones died as a result of this tragic accident.
Last Update: May 30, 2024 12:22 pm CDT
