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Merrill Man Sentenced for the Homicide by Negligent Operation of a Motor Vehicle Death of a Marshfield Man

Friday, July 5th, 2024 -- 11:00 AM

(Karen Madden, Marshfield News Herald) A 31-year-old Merrill man was sentenced Wednesday to three years of probation after he pleaded no contest to a charge of homicide by negligent operation of a motor vehicle in the death of John Zinthefer, 91, of Marshfield, on March 30, 2020.

According to Kaen Madden with the Marshfield News Herald, as a condition of his probation, Logan A. Wilke must serve one year in jail, which may be served in Lincoln County to start within 60 days, complete 100 hours of community service, receive any counseling deemed necessary and pay court costs totaling $518, according to online court records.

According to the criminal complaint, a caller reported a traffic crash involving a pedestrian on Wood County Y the morning of March 30, 2020. Wilke was the driver of a pickup that had hit Zinthefer.

Wilke told deputies he came over the crest of a hill and hit Zinthefer, who was in the traffic lane, according to the complaint. Wilke said Zinthefer was between the centerline and fog line, but closer to the fog line.

Wilke said he tried to brake and swerve to avoid hitting Zinthefer, but there was nothing he could do. A deputy talked to Zinthefer's wife, who said he had gone out to get the mail, according to the complaint.

A Marshfield police detective analyzed Wilke's cellphone and found that Wilke started playing a YouTube video at 10:12 a.m. GPS coordinates the detective got from the phone showed it was at the scene of the crash about 22 seconds after the video started playing, according to the complaint.

The call came into the 911 communications center at 10:14 a.m., according to the complaint. The Wisconsin State Patrol did an analysis of the crash and found the pickup hit Zinthefer near the fog line and his mailbox, according to the complaint.

The analysis states Wilke would have had the time and distance to safely brake and stop and avoid hitting Zinthefer. Wilke was not charged with Zinthefer's death until April 26, 2023. The delay in charges was due to waiting for the analysis.

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