ONEIDA, WI (WTAQ) – A single vehicle rollover crash has claimed the life of a teenager, while sending four others to the hospital.
The Outagamie County Sheriff’s Department says they were called around 10 p.m. Monday for the accident on Bain Road just west of County Highway U in the Town of Oneida.
“A mid-sized SUV was westbound on Bain, the vehicle lost control, rolled over and struck a power pole, breaking the power pole off before coming to a rest,” says Lt. Terry Hammen of the Outagamie County Sheriff’s Department. “There was five occupants of the vehicle ranging in age from 13 to 18.”
A 13-year-old boy was flown by helicopter to a nearby hospital where he was later pronounced dead. He was identified Tuesday afternoon as Braxton Kasee of the Seymour area. The other 4 victims were taken to a hospital by ambulance.
“It looked like it was a straight drive, they’re driving straight from what the accident report said,” Hammen says, adding that a vehicle that size could easily have enough impact at a slow speed to break the power pole.
There is no update on the conditions of the other 4 teenagers.
While on the scene, a 65-year-old volunteer firefighter with the Town of Oneida Fire Department complained of feeling ill while setting up a landing zone for the aeromedical helicopter. The man was treated on scene and taken to St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay where he was pronounced dead.
In a statement by the fire department, officials are treating this as a line of duty death. The name of the firefighter will be released upon final notification of family members.
“This tragedy coupled with the tragic outcome of the incident which brought our fire department to the scene weighs heavy on us as an organization and community,” the statement read. “We ask that you please keep the family of our fallen brother, and the rest of the Oneida Fire Department and community in your thoughts as we navigate these difficult times.”
(Additional reporting from WTAQ’s Jeff Flynt)
