On July 19, 2016 at approximately 9:40 A.M. the Dunn County Communications Center received a report of a single motorcycle crash on CTH Q North of the Village of Downing in Tiffany Township. The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office and the Glenwood Police Department responded. The motorcycle was southbound on CTH Q North of 1150th Ave. when it entered onto the right road shoulder, lost control and entered a corn field. The operator of the motorcycle was pronounced dead at the scene by the Dunn County Medical Examiner. The operator was not wearing a helmet. The crash remains under investigation by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office. The name of the deceased is: Todd C. Danovsky, age 43 of Downing, WI.

On June 11, 2016 at approximately 8:35 AM Deputies from the Dunn County Sheriff’s office located the male that had gone missing after being swept downstream while wading in the Red Cedar River at Russian Slough, Tainter Township on June 7, 2016. The Dunn County Medical examiner responded. The male was pronounced dead at the scene. The deceased was located approximately one tenth of a mile downstream from where he entered the river. The male was identified as Juan Ramos-Nalagon age 21 from Mexico. He was currently residing in rural Menomonie, WI. The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind anyone wading or fishing along the shoreline of any river to exercise caution especially during periods of high water and swift currents.

On Tuesday June 7, 2016 about 5:33 PM the Dunn County Emergency Communications Center received a report of a male subject that had fallen out of a boat on the Red Cedar River near an area known as the Russian Slough and could not be located. Upon arrival it was learned that the male was walking on the edge of the river and slipped into the river. Rescue efforts were made by the people he was with but because of the fast moving current they were unsuccessful. The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, Menomonie Fire, Colfax Rescue, and the WI DNR were dispatched to the scene. A river search was conducted with boats from the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, Menononie Fire and the WI DNR. The recent rains made the search very difficult due to the high water and current in the area. The search was suspended at dark for the safety of the searchers and will resume in the morning. The Sheriff’s Office is asking the public to stay out of that area of the river and the Russian Slough during the search operations to allow emergency personnel to work efficiently.

On Wednesday, May 04, 2016, at about 9:10 am the Dunn County Emergency Communications Center received a report of a two vehicle crash at the intersection of CTH E (S) and CTH H, in the Township of Spring Brook, with injury and entrapment. The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, Menomonie Fire, Elk Mound Fire and Lifelink III helicopter were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, responders found that a male passenger of one the involved vehicles was still trapped in the vehicle. Patient care was provided by deputies and Menomonie Fire EMS personnel while he was extricated from the vehicle by Elk Mound Fire. That patient was eventually transported by Lifelink III helicopter. The two drivers of the vehicles sustained non-life threatening injuries and were transported by ground to area hospitals. Upon investigation it was determined that a north bound pick-up truck on CTH H driven by a male, with another male passenger, made no attempt to stop for a clearly marked stop sign at CTH E (S). That vehicle was struck in the passenger side by a west bound pick-up truck, believed to be travelling at normal highway speeds, driven by a lone female. The driver of the north bound truck will be facing traffic charges in Dunn County for the cause of the crash. The medical conditions of all occupants is unknown to the Sheriff’s Office at this time.

On April 30, 2016 at approximately 7:24 PM the Dunn County Emergency Communications Center received a report of a motorcycle crash on State Highway 29 near County Highway H in the Town of Elk Mound. The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, Dunn County First Responders, Colfax Rescue Squad, and Elk Mound Fire Department were dispatched to the scene. The preliminary investigation indicated that the motorcycle was traveling at a very high rate of speed eastbound on State Highway 29 when it left the roadway, entered the median, and crossed into the westbound shoulder. The occupant was ejected from the motorcycle and was found in the highway median with severe injuries. Alcohol and speed appear to be a factor in the crash. The driver was not wearing a helmet. The driver was airlifted to a local hospital by a Mayo One rescue helicopter. The driver’s name is not being released at this time. Westbound traffic on State Highway 29 was closed for a short period of time during the incident. The crash remains under investigation by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office. The Elk Mound Police Department and the Dunn County First Responders also assisted at the scene. [Update: May 1, 2016] The operator was identified as Christopher J. Gilbertson of Eau Claire, WI. Gilbertson was cited for Operating Under the Influence 4th Offense, Operating After License Revocation, and Failure to Maintain Control.

On March 19, 2016 at approximately 10:03 PM the Dunn County Communications Center received a 911 call reporting a vehicle and its four occupants were trapped in flood waters and the water was entering the vehicle. The incident occurred on 160th Avenue just west of Meridean in the Town of Peru along the Chippewa River. Dunn County Sheriffs’ Deputies responded to the scene as well as the Durand Fire Department, Durand Ambulance Service, and area Dunn County First Responders. The Fire Department was able to safely extricate the four occupants who had taken housing on the roof of the vehicle to avoid the flood waters. The four occupants were safely removed from the flood water and no injuries were reported other than minor exposure to the cold water. The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office and other first responders would like to remind all persons traveling near flooded roadways to “TURN AROUND - DON’T DROWN”. When roadways become flooded it is impossible for an operator to know where the actual paved roadway is and if the actual roadway is not washed out. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that over half of all flood-related drownings occur when a vehicle is driven into hazardous flood water.

On March 18, 2016 at approximately 3:18 PM the Dunn County Communications Center received a report of a one-vehicle crash at the intersection of Highway 79 and 280th Street in the Township of Tiffany. Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, Boyceville Fire Department, Boyceville Ambulance, Boyceville Police Department, and Life-Link Medical Helicopter responded. The vehicle was northbound on State Highway 79 approaching 280th Street when it failed to negotiate a curve, entered a wooded area and struck a tree. The vehicle became engulfed in flames. The driver of the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene by the Dunn County Medical Examiner. Alcohol appears to be a contributing factor in the crash. The crash remains under investigation by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office. The name of the victim is not being released at this time pending family notification.

On February 19, 2015, a Dunn County Deputy Observed a 4-dr sedan vehicle fail to stop at the stop sign at 850th St and US 12 in the Town of Elk Mound. The vehicle merged onto I-94 E/B at high rate of speed. The vehicle was in excess of 95 MPH and the Deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle. The vehicle failed to stop and continued at speeds in excess of 100 MPH. The Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Department and Wisconsin State Patrol were notified and were responding. At about MM 65 E/B in the Town of Washington, Eau Claire County, the vehicle came up behind a couple of vehicles and struck a 1998 Chevrolet S10 from the rear, causing both vehicles to loose control. The S10 started on fire and the Deputy extricated the driver from the vehicle. The driver was transported to Mayo-Eau Claire with unknown, non-life threatening injures by Eau Claire Fire and rescue. The driver of the fleeing vehicle a 2014 Toyota Camry was not injured. He was identified as Michael O Gardner (43 YOA) of Eau Claire. Gardner was arrested on suspicion of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant causing injury and felony fleeing from an officer. He was transported to the Dunn County Jail. Formal charges are pending from the Dunn County District Attorney’s Office. The Wisconsin State Patrol, the Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Department, Township Fire and Eau Claire Rescue responded to the crash. The crash is being investigated by the Wisconsin State Patrol.