Wednesday evening, a Lincoln County deputies responded to a fatal crash in the Town of Birch.
According to a press release from the Lincoln County Sheriffs Office, at approximately 5:30 PM the Lincoln County Sheriffs Office 911 Dispatch Center received a report of a one-vehicle crash on Grundy Road, north of CTH J in the Township of Birch.
The caller reported one person was injured and power lines were reportedly down on the road.
The first Lincoln County deputy on-scene found the involved vehicle had left the roadway, struck a power pole and several large trees. The operator of the vehicle; a 21-year old Manitowoc man, was found to be unresponsive in the vehicle. CPR was initiated by the deputy and continued until the arrival of paramedics from the Merrill Fire Department. Ultimately, life saving measures were not successful and the operator was pronounced dead on the scene by the Lincoln County Coroner.
A 21-year old Gleason man, who was riding as a passenger in the vehicle, was transported to Good Samaritan Health Center in Merrill for non-life threatening injuries.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Merrill Fire Departmentn and Town of Russell Fire Departments responded to the scene.
Speed and alcohol are believed to have been factors in the crash. The crash remains under investigation by the Lincoln County Sheriffs Office and a crash re-constructionist from the Wisconsin State Patrol.
The name of the decedent is being withheld pending notification of family.