Wisconsin: Man found guilty in tow truck driver’s death
A La Crosse man was found guilty Friday of negligent homicide in the roadside death of a tow truck operator in Jackson County last fall. A jury deliberated for just over two hours before finding 51-year-old Steven E. Dolan guilty in 38-year-old Nathan Walsh’s death along Interstate 94 near Osseo in October 2014. The case centered on whether the incident involved criminal negligence or was an accident.
“We respect the jury’s verdict, and Mr. Dolan and his family’s hearts and prayers go out to Mr. Walsh’s family for this accident,” said defense attorney Eric Sheets after the verdict was delivered. “(Dolan) has been grief-stricken about this for quite some time.”
Jackson County District Attorney Gerald Fox, who prosecuted the case, said the verdict brings some justice to Walsh’s family. He also commended those involved in the response and investigation of the accident and witnesses who testified at trial.
“Nate Walsh was one of those guys who regularly put himself at risk to help people, and due to the inexcusable neglect of Mr. Dolan, he lost his life. He had been struck before, and knew his job was dangerous at times, but he did it anyway, to serve people in need. At the time he was struck and killed, he was doing everything right, and did absolutely nothing to bring this tragedy about,” Fox said. “Nothing my investigative team or I did in this case will bring him back to his wife and kids, but at least we were able to get some measure of justice for his family, and hold Mr. Dolan accountable for his disastrous failure to pay attention to the road.
“I would commend the jury no matter what their decision, as I have in the past, but I am gratified that they rejected Mr. Dolan’s defense and found him guilty. It could not have been easy for them, and on behalf of the state, I am grateful for their attentiveness and sense of duty.”
Dolan reportedly was traveling westbound in a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado about 8:25 a.m. on Oct. 20, 2014, when the truck struck Walsh and sideswiped his tow truck while he loaded a disabled car onto a flatbed, according to the Wisconsin State Patrol.
Dolan stated he did not see the tow truck and was changing lanes and was looking in a mirror. Information from the Silverado’s data recorder suggested the vehicle was traveling just above the then-65-mph speed limit when he crossed the fog line and struck the tow truck and Walsh, who was wearing reflective gear and had the wrecker’s warning lights activated at the time, according to the criminal complaint.
The prosecution called several witnesses during the two-day trial, including Trooper Derrek Hanson whose investigation estimated Dolan was traveling 69 mph and had approximately 38 seconds to perceive the upcoming disabled vehicle and tow truck and decide how to react.
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