Thread: WI-1 man, 2 kids killed in crash

1 man, 2 kids killed in crash

4 people injured as truck slides into SUV on icy Washington County road
By Ryan Haggerty of the Journal Sentinel

Posted: Mar. 29, 2009

Karl Ziebart died traveling to a place he loved - his church.

On Sunday, the 42-year-old Richfield man; his 9-year-old son, Luke; and a 12-year-old girl from another family were killed when the SUV in which they were riding was hit by a truck that slid across an icy road in Washington County, according to authorities and the man's brother.

The girl's name could not be confirmed late Sunday. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.

Ziebart's 40-year-old wife, Denise; the Ziebarts' two other children; and the 12-year-old girl's 11-year-old brother suffered serious injuries and were taken to hospitals, according to the Washington County Sheriff's Department.

Amber Ziebart, 14, and her 11-year-old brother, Zechariah, underwent surgery at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and were stable, said Karl Ziebart's brother, Bernie.

Denise Ziebart, who was at Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa, was not stable enough for surgery as of late Sunday, Bernie Ziebart said.

The condition of the other 11-year-old boy could not be confirmed.

Three men who were in the 1-ton flatbed truck were not injured. Their names had not been released by the Sheriff's Department.

Karl Ziebart, the youngest of four siblings, worked as a computer programmer and maintained a family Web site. He was driving to the 10:45 a.m. service at Victory International Fellowship in Brookfield when the crash occurred, his brother said.

Karl Ziebart taught a weekly class for boys at the church, played on the church's volleyball team and had been the pitcher on the church's slow-pitch softball team for about 20 years, Bernie Ziebart said.

"He lived a pure life," Bernie Ziebart said. "He worked hard, paid his taxes. He was a bright, upstanding citizen. Unfortunately, the best seem to go first. I don't understand it."

Andy Horn, a pastor at the church, said Karl Ziebart supervised the sound system at many services, often enlisting the help of one of his children.

"He had a great attitude and a great love for God. He was a guy who unashamedly, unabashedly loved his wife," said Horn, who recalled Karl Ziebart rushing to the front of the sanctuary to present his wife with a bouquet of flowers after she participated in a Christmas production a few months ago - even though another pastor hadn't finished speaking to the audience.

Their son Luke was "the clown of the group," Bernie Ziebart said. "He was very easygoing, very fun. He was just a good-natured kid. I always enjoyed having him over."

According to the Sheriff's Department:

The crash occurred just before 9 a.m. on state Highway 164 north of Monches Road in the Village of Richfield, about a mile from the Ziebarts' home.

Karl Ziebart was driving the SUV south down a steep hill when the northbound truck, climbing the hill and driven by a 38-year-old Milwaukee man, slid into the southbound lane.

The SUV swerved into the ditch along the west side of the road to avoid a collision, but the truck continued sliding into the ditch and hit the driver's side of the SUV.

Investigators believe all three who died in the crash were wearing seatbelts.

No charges yet
No citations or charges have been issued in connection with the crash, which is still under investigation. Neither drugs nor alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash.

Mike Dassow, a friend of the Ziebarts' who stopped by the crash scene Sunday evening to plant a cross, said the road was covered with ice when he drove along it Sunday morning before the crash.

The truck's driver and his two passengers - ages 30 and 31, both of Milwaukee - were detained on suspicion of being in the country illegally, according to the Sheriff's Department. They are in custody at the Washington County Jail.

Valid license
The truck's driver does have a valid Wisconsin driver's license, according to the Sheriff's Department, and he is believed to have been in the country since about 1996.

The truck is owned by Terra Tec Landscapes Inc., which is based in Washington County, said Susie Falk, a company spokeswoman. The three people who were in the truck are employees of the company, Falk said.

Bob Bilda, who owns a pub a short distance from the crash scene, said the stretch of road where the crash occurred can be treacherous during snowy weather.

"Highway 164 is a horrible road to negotiate, and that hill is horrible," Bilda said.


http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/42088877.html

Three men who were in the 1-ton flatbed truck were not injured. Their names had not been released by the Sheriff's Department.

Karl Ziebart was driving the SUV south down a steep hill when the northbound truck, climbing the hill and driven by a 38-year-old Milwaukee man, slid into the southbound lane.

The SUV swerved into the ditch along the west side of the road to avoid a collision, but the truck continued sliding into the ditch and hit the driver's side of the SUV.

The truck's driver and his two passengers - ages 30 and 31, both of Milwaukee - were detained on suspicion of being in the country illegally, according to the Sheriff's Department. They are in custody at the Washington County Jail.

Valid license
The truck's driver does have a valid Wisconsin driver's license, according to the Sheriff's Department, and he is believed to have been in the country since about 1996.

But are they all LEGAL IMMIGRANTS - even the driver?

Where was these employees going? Are they on business time or personal time? Does the company allow company vehicle to be driven on personal time?

THIS HAPPENED ON SUNDAY