Bailey Laux (Outagamie Co. Jail)
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A man who admittedly was texting while driving on I-41 didn’t see traffic slowing down, killing one person in the resulting crash, pleaded not guilty Monday.
Bailey Laux, 25, of Kaukauna, was charged with homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle for the May 3, 2022 crash which killed Chelsey Jennings, 33. No trial date was set. He returns to court Feb. 13 for a pre-trial conference.
According to the criminal complaint, police were called to I-41 northbound near Richmond Street at about 6:25 p.m. for a multiple-vehicle crash. Three cars collided with one overturned in a ditch. Jennings was removed from the vehicle, and was pronounced dead three days later.
One driver said traffic slowed, so he did, as did Jennings behind him, but another vehicle crashed into her car.
“The defendant stated he had been driving northbound on Hwy 41 behind the two black cars, when he suddenly saw that vehicles were stopping in front of him. The defendant stated he “locked up” his brakes and tried to stop to avoid the crash, but upon realizing that he was going to strike the vehicle in front of him, he tried steering into the first lane to avoid the crash. However, the defendant stated that this did not work, and he struck one of the black cars in front of him,” the complaint states.
However, later his story changed.
“Sgt Thao interviewed subsequently interviewed the defendant in the lobby of the Appleton Police Department. During the interview, the defendant admitted to texting with his girlfriend and took his eyes off the road causing the accident. The defendant’s girlfriend confirmed that she and the defendant were texting after he was done with work on said Tuesday and he was driving home. The evidence collected from the girlfriends phone indicate that the defendant text several times with his girlfriend at 18:24,” the complaint states.
Data from Laux’s car shows he was travelling at 78 mph when the crash happened, and the brakes were not pressed. Another witness also said she did not see Laux brake, according to the complaint.
Video from traffic cameras appears to confirm that.
“The vehicle driven by the defendant enters the camera’s view, traveling in the right-hand lane of 41 NB, at approximately 18:24:49. The vehicles driven by JA and the victim can be seen slowing down significantly as they approach backed-up traffic near the end of the 41 NB on-ramp from N. Richmond St and then traveling at a slow rate of speed. The vehicle driven by the defendant continues traveling in the right-hand lane and does not ever appear to make any adjustments in speed or driving behavior as it approaches the backed-up traffic. The vehicle driven by the defendant appears to make initial contact with the vehicle driven by the victim at approximately 18:25:02,” the complaint states.
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