PIERCE COUNTY Accident Reports

Deputies responded to a two-vehicle crash at 12:05 p.m. Dec. 11 on County Road E just north of 640th Avenue in the town of Oak Grove between a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado, driven by William Edwin Maier, 49, River Falls, and 2014 Ford F150, driven by

Daniel Colin Ham, 52, Hudson. Maier was backing out of a driveway and struck Ham, who was traveling south on County Road E. Maier’s truck only had a bent hitch, while Ham’s truck was towed due to disabling damage. Ham admitted to traveling too fast for conditions. Both drivers wore seat belts and reported no injuries.

Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash at 11:01 a.m. Dec. 17 at US Highway 10 and County Road E in the town of Oak Grove between a 2011 Chevrolet Malibu, driven by Naomi Ladean Dolton, 21, Racine, Minn., and a 2019 Chevrolet Express, driven by James Robert Bigott, 29, Elmwood. Dolton was going east on Highway 10, followed by another vehicle. Biggott was heading east behind the other vehicle, two vehicles behind Dolton. Dolton began a left turn onto County Road E and Bigott rear-ended her going full speed. The other driver said Dolton didn’t use a turn signal and abruptly braked. That vehicle was able to veer to the right to avoid a collision, but Bigott was not able to even slow or stop. When Bigott rear-ended Dolton’s vehicle, it spun and came to rest in the northbound turn lane. Bigott’s vehicle went off the south side of the road and came to a stop in the ditch facing east. Both vehicles were towed due to disabling damage. An ambulance took Dolton to Regions Hospital in St. Paul with suspected serious injuries. Another ambulance took Bigott to Regina Hospital in Hastings, Minn., with suspected minor injuries.

Police responded to a onevehicle crash at 5:32 p.m. Dec. 22 on County Road F one-third mile south of County Road MM in the town of Clifton. A 2021 Jeep Cherokee, driven by Todd Ashley Smith, 51, River Falls, was heading north on 1250th Street when it exited the road and entered the east ditch. Smith overcorrected, crossed both lanes of traffic, entered the west ditch, continued through the ditch/field and reentered the road onto County Road F. He continued south on County Road F for a short distance then went off the road into the west ditch again, where he struck a culvert. He continued on but eventually struck a field drive, which made his Jeep go airborne. It struck a utility pole on the south side of the field drive and came to rest facing east in the west ditch. The vehicle was towed due to disabling damage. An ambulance took Smith, who wore a seat belt, to Hudson Hospital with possible injuries.

Deputies responded to a once-vehicle crash at 4:48 p.m. Dec. 23 on US Highway 10 that had occurred at 1:25 a.m. Dec. 23 just east of 530th Avenue in the town of Oak Grove. A 2009 Pontiac Vibe, driven by Bethany Reanne Stiller, 21, St. Paul, was going east on Highway 10. Stiller said she fell asleep due to a migraine, drifted to the right and struck a guardrail. She then crossed over the center line, struck the opposite guardrail, crossed back over onto the eastbound side and entered the ditch over a driveway, where it came to rest. Stiller didn’t report the crash. Deputies were in the process of removing the vehicle when she arrived on the scene. Stiller, who wore a seat belt, reported no injuries. She was cited for failure of operator to notify police of accident.

Officers responded to a one-vehicle crash at 10:33 a.m. Dec. 24 on Highway 128 about one mile north of Partridge Avenue in the town of Spring Lake. A 2002 Toyota Camry, driven by Kaylina Marie Bemis, 18, Elmwood, was heading north on Highway 128 and negotiating a left-hand curve on an icy, wet roadway. Bemis hit the brakes to avoid a deer in the road, began to skid forward and collided with the guardrail face on the east shoulder. The vehicle had minor damage and was drivable. Elmwood EMS transported Bemis, who wore a seat belt, to River Falls Area Hospital with suspected minor injuries.

Police responded to a onevehicle crash at 10:52 a.m. Dec. 24 on Highway 63 just east of 801st Avenue in the town of Martell. A 2015 Ram Laramie, driven by Jacob Wesley Rielly, 24, Spring Valley, was going north on Highway 63 just north of 535th Street. Rielly lost control of the vehicle on the icy road and struck the guardrail on the west shoulder. The truck had functional damage. Rielly, who wore a seat belt, reported no injuries.

Deputies responded to a one-vehicle crash at 1:17 p.m. Dec. 24 on US Highway 10 half-mile west of 620th Avenue in the town of Oak Grove. A 2015 Subaru Outback, driven by Deborah D. Eaton-Arey, 69, Prescott, was going east on Highway 10 when it left the road and entered the north ditch. The vehicle was towed due to disabling damage. An ambulance transported Eaton-Arey, who wore a seat belt, to Regions Hospital in St. Paul with suspected minor injuries.

Officers responded to a one-vehicle crash at 8:42 a.m. Dec. 27 on Highway 35 just east of County Road O in the town of Diamond Bluff. A 2013 Dodge Ram 1500, driven by Delaine Margaret Reale, 54, Red Wing, Minn., was traveling northbound on Highway 35 when it hit ice on the road. Reale lost control, crossed over the roadway, entered the west ditch and came to rest on an embankment ascending to the railroad tracks. The vehicle, which had functional damage, was driven out when police arrived. Reale, who wore a seat belt, reported no injuries.

Deputies responded to a one- vehicle crash at 1:34 p.m. Dec. 17 on Cross Town Road four-tenths of a mile east of Highway 64 in Ellsworth. A 2006 Pontiac, driven by Isaiah Jacob Frion, 22, River Falls, was going east on Cross Town Road, lost control on the icy road and entered the south ditch. The vehicle side-swiped several trees. The vehicle was towed due to disabling damage. Frion, who wore a seat belt, reported no injuries.

Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash at 6:18 a.m. Dec. 28 at Highway 10 and County Road J in the town of Trimbelle between a 2014 Ford F150, driven by Jessica Marie Bergman, 35, Beldenville, and a 2022 International MV607 truck-tractor with semi attached, driven by Barry Lynn Fisher, 53, Chippewa Falls. Bergman was going south on County Road J on icy/snowy roads. She was unable to stop at the stop sign and entered onto Highway 10, where she struck the passenger side of Fisher’s trailer. Fisher crossed over the center line to try to avoid the crash. Bergman’s vehicle had functional damage, while Fisher’s semi had minor damage. Both drivers wore seat belts and reported no injuries. Bergman was cited for operate without valid license and driving too fast for conditions.

Police responded to a vehicle vs. tree crash at 11:21 a.m. Dec. 28 on County Road QQ one-quarter mile west of 1170th Street in the town of Clifton. A 2020 Knnw Construction straight truck, driven by Rodrogo Martinez Omana, 39, Brooklyn Park, Minn., was traveling southbound on County Road QQ, failed to make a 90-degree turn, entered the west ditch and struck a corner sign and several trees. The truck was towed due to disabling damage. Omana and a 14-year-old passenger from Brooklyn Park wore seat belts and reported no injuries.

Deputies responded a 5:48 a.m. Jan. 1 to a vehicle vs. mailbox crash at W8501 760th Ave. in the town of River Falls. A 2012 Ford Focus, driven by Luis Alfonzo Macas Japon,

28, River Falls, was traveling eastbound on 760th Avenue, when according to a witness, the tires left the road and entered the snowy ditch area a number of times before veering back onto the road. At one point, the vehicle hit a mailbox and ran over it, but continued driving eastbound on 760th Avenue, before turning north onto 810th Street. Police pulled over Japon a short time later on 770th Avenue. The vehicle was towed and had functional damage. Japon reported no injuries. He was cited for OWI, operate without valid license and operating with PAC.

Police responded to a vehicle s. light pole crash at 9:05 a.m. Jan. 1 on Highway 72 just west of Woodman Street in Elmwood. A 2015 Chevrolet Equinox, driven by Janell Carla Weber, 46, Roseville, Minn., was traveling eastbound at 4:05 a.m. on Highway 72. Weber decided to used a parking lot to turn around in and then headed westbound on Highway 72. She lost control of the vehicle and entered the south ditch, where she struck a light pole. Both Weber and her passenger, Brian Donald Herman, 64, Roseville, Minn., fled the scene. The driver later admitted to consuming alcohol before the crash. She never attempted to call the crash in. The vehicle was towed due to disabling damage. Neither party reported injuries. Weber was cited for failure to keep vehicle under control, failure of operator to notify police of accident and hit and run – property adjacent to highway.

Officers responded to a one-vehicle crash at 11:56 a.m. Jan. 1 on 370th Street just south of County Road BB in the town of El Paso. A 2004 Pontiac Vibe, driven by Dillon Joel Sweeney, 26, River Falls, was heading southbound on County Road BB, failed to negotiate a right-hand turn, and went straight onto 370th Street. The car began to slide back and forth, crossed the center line, went into the ditch and overturned, but landed on its wheels. When police arrived, no occupants were on the scene. The registered owner, when contacted, said she watched her car get stolen a half-hour prior. When asked why she didn’t report it, she told police she didn’t know what to do. She denied driving the vehicle. Her mother then told police her daughter’s friend had been driving. Sweeney later called police and admitted to driving. He said he’d fallen asleep and was scared to call police. The car was towed due to disabling damage. Sweeney reported possible injuries, but wasn’t transported to the hospital. He was cited for failure to keep vehicle under control and failure of operator to notify police of accident.

Deputies responded to a two-vehicle crash at 4:05 p.m. Jan. 3 on May Avenue in Elmwood between a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, driven by Breanna Jayne Baron, 31, Elmwood, and a 2002 Ford F150, driven by Kaleb Adam Justice, 20, Amery. Baron was heading eastbound on West May Avenue, while Justice was going southbound in an alleyway, entering onto West May Avenue. Justice struck the passenger side of Baron’s vehicle when he exited the alley. The Malibu had minor damage, while the Ford had no damage. Baron, Justice and Justice’s passenger, Roy Earl Hanson, 22, Amery, all wore seat belts and reported no injuries.

Officers responded to a vehicle vs. tree crash at 2:16 p.m. Jan. 5 on Highway 128 about one mile north of County Road B in the town of Spring Lake. A 2006 Ford Ranger, driven by Anthony Thomas Binkowski,

75, Elmwood, was traveling northbound on a steep, snow and ice-covered hill. Binkowski said when he got to the top of the hill, the truck just took off on him, crossed over the road, entered the west ditch and struck a tree. The truck was towed due to disabling damage. Binkowski, who wore a seat belt, reported no injuries.

Police responded to a vehicle vs. guardrail crash at 6:47 p.m. Jan. 5 on County Road C four-tenths of a mile south of 250th Avenue in the town of Hartland. A 2006 Dodge R25, driven by Preston Matthew Furlong, 20, Ellsworth, had gone off the road and struck a guardrail. Furlong said he had mud tires on his truck, which he didn’t think were good for winter driving. There was fresh snow on the road, which was slippery. Upon review, it appeared Furlong was going too fast for conditions and when navigating a slight incline, the vehicle drifted off the road into the guardrail. The vehicle was towed due to disabling damage. Furlong, who wore a seat belt, reported no injuries.

Deputies responded to a vehicle vs. guardrail crash at 8:55 p.m. Jan. 5 on US Highway 63 four-tenths of a mile north o 180th Avenue in the town of Trenton. A 2012 Chrysler 200, driven by Joseph Carter Hamilton, 27, Humbird, was traveling 55-60 mph and drifted off the road due to the snow and ice, where he hit a guardrail. Upon review, it appeared he was going faster than he said, which was too fast for conditions. He finished a right-hand curve going downhill and lost control. The vehicle was towed due to disabling damage. Hamilton and his passenger, Audrey Delacruz-Guzman, 18, La Crosse, wore seat belts and reported no injuries.