CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. (AP) — A judge says the trial for a 22-year-old Wisconsin man accused of inhaling chemical vapors before crashing into a group of Girl Scouts will not be moved out of Chippewa County.
Colten Treu has pleaded not guilty to vehicular homicide charges for the deaths of three girls and one mother. Prosecutors say Treu was high on fumes from an aerosol can when he crashed into the Girl Scouts group picking up trash along a highway in Lake Hallie a year ago.
The Leader-Telegram reports that Treu’s attorneys believe social media has increased “the inflammatory nature of the publicity” against their client. In his ruling Friday to deny the motion, Judge James Isaacson said a juror doesn’t have to ignorant or unaware of the case to be neutral and sit on the jury.
Trial is scheduled for Jan. 21.
