Philip Slezewski appears before Manitowoc County court, via Zoom, April 5, 2024. (Manitowoc County court/Zoom)
MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A judge expressed frustration Friday with the state crime lab for not having toxicology results from a Christmas Day crash which killed the driver’s wife and mother.
Philip Slezewski, 39, faces six counts, including two counts knowingly operating with a suspended driver’s license. He has pleaded not guilty. No trial date has been set.
He’s currently being held on a $10,000 cash bond. The defense asked for the bail to be reduced to $6,000, which prosecutors opposed. Several family members also offered comments for and against the bail change.
Judge Robert DeWane delayed making a decision until April 16, saying the results of toxicology tests would significantly swing the case, as impaired driving charges would be substantially different than a case about not having a driver’s license – and therefore would have an impact on a decision for the proper bail amount.
“The fact that we’re four months in and I don’t have this report is starting to annoy me,” the judge said. “I want to know where the test is in the process. And I want to know what the holdup is. And I want to know when it’s anticipated by the lab that they’ll have a result.”
Judge DeWane instructed the district attorney to file a letter with the crime lab, asking for an explanation.
According to a criminal complaint, police responded to the two-vehicle crash on I-43 in the town of Centerville at 2:45 p.m. Slezewski’s 38-year-old wife, Heather Arcaro-Slezewski, and his 71-year-old mother, Clarine, died in the crash.
When an officer asked Slezewski for his driver’s license he said he “had court but I might be suspended,” the complaint states. A record check showed he had a suspended and expired occupational driver’s license – including having several unpaid citations.
Slezewski offered this explanation of the crash: “He stated that slightly north of exit 137, he was traveling in the left-hand lane and attempting to pass another vehicle, to move into the right-hand lane. When he tried to do this, he lost control of the wheel as he believed there was a mechanical failure as the steering became very loose and he was not able to turn it effectively,” the criminal complaint states.
Slezewski said he was not aware he hit another vehicle.
Slezewski also said ingested cocaine and marijuana the previous day, although none of the charges relate to operating under the influence. No blood test results are cited in the complaint, as those typically take weeks to get results.
The crash was one of three fatal crashes in a span of four days on I-43 in Manitowoc County.
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