By Shereen Siewert
WAUSAU — A 21-year-old Mosinee man was sentenced Tuesday to one year in jail in connection with an August 2015 crash that left one man dead and two other people injured.
Brandon Kohel, who was 19 at the time of the crash, was initially charged in July 2016 with first degree reckless homicide. That charge was later amended to homicide by negligent operation of a motor vehicle, while two counts of reckless driving causing bodily harm were dismissed. The dismissed charges were read into the record and considered at sentencing.
As part of a withheld sentence Circuit Judge Jill Falstad ordered Kohel to spend 11 months in jail immediately, then serve one week on the anniversary of the crash, Aug. 9-16 every year for the five years he spends on probation, with no work release. Kohel is to use that time to think about what happened and the impact of the crime on the victims, Falstad said.
Police say Kohel was traveling just before 2 p.m. Aug. 11, 2015 on CTH KK when he tried passing a vehicle inside a no passing zone, then struck an oncoming vehicle head on. Michael Sybeldon, 54, was killed in the crash and two other people were hospitalized, police said.
Kohel was traveling at a speed of 63 mph heading into the curve, according to the criminal complaint. Both vehicles swerved and collided on the shoulder of the road.
Charges were filed 11 months later.
In addition to jail time, Falstad ordered Kohel to undergo counseling in victim empathy, pay $849.87 in restitution and perform 200 hours of community service. He is not permitted to have a Facebook account and will undergo additional counseling as recommended by his probation agent.
Kohel, who was free on a $10,000 signature bond, was immediately taken into custody to begin his sentence.
