Jeffrey Wolfe is charged with homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle for a fatal crash in Appleton on Interstate 41. (Photo courtesy Outagamie County Sheriff's Office)
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The driver who allegedly caused a fatal crash on Interstate 41 pleaded not guilty Monday.
Jeffrey Wolfe, 55, is charged with homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle for the Nov. 20, 2022, crash in Appleton on southbound I-41.
No trial date was set. He returns to court May 7 for a status conference.
According to the criminal complaint, police were called to the scene about 4:15 p.m. Multiple vehicles were involved in the crash.
Wolfe admitted he looked away from the road to answer a question his wife, who was the front passenger, had asked him. Wolfe stated she yelled for him to stop when she noticed traffic was at a halt. Wolfe stated he also had a glare in his eyes from the sun. Wolfe stated he was traveling at approximately 70mph. Trooper Boettner reported Wolfe spent a significant amount of time not paying attention to driving failing to slow for the stopped traffic backup and for a State Patrol squad providing advance warning in the median ahead. Wolfe crashed at highway speed without braking until impact.
One woman in another vehicle was killed. She is not identified in the complaint.
Although the crash was in November 2022, charges were filed on Nov. 30, 2023.
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