Highway 29 Wrong-Way Driver Arrested for 5th Offense OWI at Four Times the Legal Limit - Town of Elk Mound

On Saturday, January 20th, 2025 at 7:31 pm, the Dunn County Communications Center received a complaint of a wrong way driver travelling westbound in the eastbound lanes of Highway 29 in Elk Mound Township. A Dunn County Deputy encountered the suspect vehicle traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes between the 29/94 and 29/40 interchanges.

The Deputy turned around and attempted to stop the vehicle and warn oncoming traffic of the danger. The vehicle failed to respond to the squads light or siren. The vehicle continued eastbound in the wrong lane of traffic before turning southbound on 850th Street and pulling into an adjacent parking lot.

Contact was made with the operator, identified as 56 year old Mark R. Prieve of rural Elk Mound. Prieve refused Field Sobriety Exercises but submitted to a Preliminary Breath Test with a result of .329, four times the legal limit.

Prieve was placed under arrest for OMVWI- 5th Offence and cited for Operating after Revocation, Fleeing an Officer, Driving Wrong Way on Divided Highway and Failure to Have an Interlock Ignition Device Installed. Prieve was on probation from a previous Felony OMVWI conviction and is currently being held at the Dunn County Jail on a probation hold and a $25,000 cash bond.

Candlelight Gathering for Fallen Dunn County Sheriff's Officer Jeff Reynolds

The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office will be holding a short gathering for Correctional Officer Jeffrey Reynolds, who was tragically killed in a traffic crash while on his way to work on December 24th, 2024. We will be gathering on Wednesday, January 1st at 6:30pm, with a moment of silence and reading at approximately 6:45pm, outside the Dunn County Judicial Center located at 615 Stokke Pkwy, Menomonie, WI 54751. The gathering will be open to Corrections, Law Enforcement and the public to show support for Officer Reynolds. For information related to parking please visit www.dunncountysheriff.com/officerreynolds

Officer Reynolds Gathering.pdf

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Fatal Train Vs. Car Crash - Village of Elk Mound

PRESS RELEASE

DATE OF RELEASE:            December 12th, 2024              

INCIDENT #:                         D24-02004                 

SUBJECT:                              Train vs. SUV Crash with Injury       

AUTHORIZED BY:              Sheriff Kevin Bygd

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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On December 12th, 2024, at approximately 3:16 PM, the Dunn County Communication Center was notified of a train vs. car crash at the railroad crossing near the intersection of 970th St and US Hy 12 in the Village of Elk Mound, Dunn County, Wisconsin. The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Elk Mound Police, Elk Mound Fire, Colfax Rescue, and Eau Claire Ambulance responded to the scene.

Preliminary investigation shows the driver of a southbound SUV, failed to yield right of way from the stop sign at the railroad crossing, causing the collision on the passenger side of the SUV, with the eastbound train. The SUV had three occupants inside. The driver of the SUV was flown from the scene by Mayo Helicopter. The two juveniles in the vehicle were transported to the hospital by private vehicle. This crash remains under investigation by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office and Elk Mound Police Department.

Sheriff Kevin Bygd

Dunn County, Wisconsin

PRESS RELEASE UPDATE

DATE OF RELEASE:            December 26, 2024                

INCIDENT #:                         D24-02004                 

SUBJECT:                              [Updated] – Train vs. SUV Fatal Crash       

AUTHORIZED BY:              Sheriff Kevin Bygd

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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The operator of the vehicle involved in this crash was transported to a local hospital following the crash.  On December 23, 2024, the Dunn County Medical Examiner’s Office reported that the operator died at the hospital due to complications from injuries suffered in the crash.  The operator was identified as 80 year-old Gregory Allen Nerbovig of Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Sheriff Kevin Bygd

Dunn County, Wisconsin

Attachments:  December 12, 2024 Press Release (Original)

Press Release.pdf

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