By Audrey Korte
The Chippewa Herald, Chippewa Falls, Wisc.
MENOMONIE, Wis. — A local law enforcement officer is dead and four others are injured in the aftermath of a two-vehicle crash in Dunn County on Tuesday.
The incident happened when Correctional Officer Jeff Reynolds, 56, was westbound near Menomonie on U.S. Highway 12 at County Highway E early Tuesday morning.
At 2:44 a.m. his vehicle was struck by a northbound vehicle on County Highway E that failed to stop at the posted stop sign, according to the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office.
The driver of the northbound vehicle has been identified as Mark Sokolowski, 40, of Eau Claire. Sokolowski is charged with homicide by intoxicated use of vehicle, court records show.
“The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office lost one of its own,” a Facebook post from the Sheriff’s Office says. “Three other passengers in his vehicle, including his wife, were also injured in the crash.”
Reynolds was on his way to work a shift at the jail at the time of the accident, the post says. The accident was witnessed by a Dunn County Deputy.
Reynolds began his career with the Sheriff’s Office in 2007 and “will be missed greatly,” the post says.
Sokolowski had an initial court appearance Thursday and was issued a $75,000 cash bond.
Sokolowski is currently being held at the Eau Claire County Jail.
The crash investigation is being conducted by the Wisconsin State Patrol.
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