PIERCE COUNTY Accident Reports

Police were notified of a hit-and-run crash at 12:21 p.m. Jan. 23 that had occurred at midnight Jan. 22 at N6383 Highway 65 in the town of Ellsworth. A 2005 Kia Sedona was traveling north on Highway 65 approaching County Road J when it entered the west ditch, struck an address sign and an AT& T phone pedestal and came to rest in the ditch. The driver fled the scene and removed the plates from the vehicle. The phone number obtained for the registered owner was disconnected and they had moved out of the address listed on file. The homeowner where the accident occurred was able to tell police when her internet service went out and when she thought the accident had occurred. The vehicle was towed due to disabling damage.

Deputies responded to a one-vehicle crash at 8:41 a.m. Jan. 24 that had occurred at 8 p.m. Jan. 23 on 322nd Ave. just west of US Highway 10 in the town of Salem. A 2012 Buick Enclave, driven by Gregory Allen Maxwell, 55, Maiden Rock, had just turned west onto 322nd Avenue from Highway 10 when it lost control. He entered the north ditch and hit a large tree. Maxwell attempted to back the vehicle out but couldn’t due to the deep snow. Maxwell, who wore a seat belt, reported no injuries. The vehicle was towed due to disabling damage.

Police responded to a one-vehicle crash at 2:12 p.m. Jan. 25 at County Road EE and 170th Street in the town of Isabelle. A 2017 Ford Focus, driven by Justin Stephen Bechel, 39, Bay City, was heading south on County Road EE. The occupants smelled something funny and a short time later noticed smoke entering the vehicle’s cabin. They pulled over and called 911; a short time later, the engine compartment started on fire. Ellsworth Fire responded to extinguish the blaze. The vehicle was towed due to disabling damage. Bechel and passenger Brent Alan Fenner, 41, Bay City, both wore seat belts and reported no injuries.

Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash at 2:58 p.m. Jan. 25 in the parking lot of W7280 170th Ave in the town of Hartland between a 1995 Oldsmobile Cutlass, driven by Michael James Appleton, 77, Bay City, and a legally parked 2014 Jeep Patriot, owned by Mary Ann Lewis, Bay City. Lewis was parked on the south side of the parking lot for snow removal. Appleton backed up from the north parking stall and struck Lewis’ vehicle. Both vehicles had minor damage. No one was injured.

Deputies responded to a hit-and-run at 8:06 a.m. Jan. 26 on 385th Street just south of 110th Avenue in the town of Maiden Rock between an unknown vehicle not at the scene and a legally parked 2014 Chevrolet Silverado, owned by Ronald P. Schiller, Maiden Rock. Sometime during the night, an unknown vehicle swerved off the road and struck Schiller’s truck, which sustained functional damage to the driver’s side rear bumper, tail light and rear wheel well panel. There are no suspects.

Officers responded to a one-vehicle crash at 9:20 p.m. Jan. 26 on State Highway 29 just west of 710th Street in the town of Martell. A 2004 Dodge Caravan, driven by Mason Nicholas Johnson, 22, Spring Valley, was heading east on Highway 29, lost control, crossed the center line, struck a mailbox and came to rest in the north ditch. Johnson fled the scene after being picked up by a family member. Later on the phone, Johnson told police he’d lost control because the road was icy. The vehicle was towed with functional damage. Johnson, who wore a seat belt, reported no injuries. He was cited for failure to keep vehicle under control and warned for failure to notify police of an accident.

Deputies responded at 9:06 a.m. Jan. 27 to a two-vehicle crash at Highway 63 and County Road V in the town of Trenton between a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado, driven by Brandon Allen Lunde, 35, Wanamingo, Minn., and a 2006 Honda Accord, driven by Theresa Jean Lafferty, 37, Red Wing, Minn. Lunde, who was pulling an enclosed trailer, was northbound on Highway 63 and slowing to make a right turn onto County Road V. Lafferty was following Lunde on Highway 63 and began to pass him on his passenger side. She collided with the passenger side of his truck and trailer as she tried to pass. Lafferty’s vehicle was towed to disabling damage, while the truck and trailer had minor damage. Both drivers and a passenger in Lunde’s vehicle, Michael Daniel Rude, 34, Zumbrota, Minn., wore seat belts and reported no injuries.

Police responded to a vehicle vs. mailbox crash at 10:03 a.m. Jan. 28 on 1000th Street one quarter-mile north of 570th Avenue in the town of Oak Grove. A 2016 Nissan Rogue, driven by Gabrielle Elizabeth Elkins, 22, Ellsworth, was going south on 1000th Street when the passenger side tires entered the deep snow on the west shoulder. The vehicle hit a mailbox at N5860 1000th St. and was sucked further into the deep snow and ditch. The vehicle came to rest in the ditch facing southeast. Elkins, who wore a seat belt, reported no injuries. The Nissas was towed with disabling damage.

Officers responded to a vehicle vs. tree crash at 12:53 a.m. Jan. 29 on Oak Hill Road at Maple Street in Bay City. A 2006 Toyota Tacoma, driven by Benjamin J. Hohmann, 36, Bay City, was traveling too fast for conditions while heading south. He failed to stop for a stop sign, continued through the intersection and struck a tree on the far side. Hohmann, who was not wearing a seat belt, reported no injuries. The truck was towed due to disabling damage. Hohmann was cited for operating while revoked (alcohol related), failure of operator to notify police of accident and failure to keep vehicle under control.

Police responded to an abandoned vehicle call at 8:45 a.m. Jan. 29 on County Road O six-tenths of a mile south of State Highway 65 in the town of River Falls. A 2003 GMC Sierra, owned by Clayton Alan Everson, Bay City, had been reported as stolen just prior to this call. A passerby had reported seeing vehicle parts in the road. About a mile north of the vehicle parts, it looked like the unknown driver had skidded to a stop after hitting a deer (deer tracks were seen in both ditches and vehicle parts all over the road.) The vehicle became disabled near 710th Street, where it was abandoned. It was towed due to disabling damage. The driver was not found.

Deputies responded to a three-vehicle crash at 6:31 a.m. Jan. 31 on Highway 29 at 635th Avenue in the town of Clifton between a 2020 Lexus SUV, driven by Trisha Packard, 44, Prescott; a 2016 Jeep Cherokee, driven by Dennis Marchel, 74, River Falls; and a 2003 Chrysler Town & Country, driven by David Nogle, 44, River Falls. Packard was attempting to make a left turn onto 635th Avenue when Marchel rear-ended her. His vehicle continued eastbound on Highway 29 and collided with Nogle, who was heading westbound on Highway 29. Allina Health transported Marchel to Regina Hospital in Hastings, Minn., with undetermined injuries. Prescott Fire and Prescott Police assisted PCSO on the scene.