Wausau Pilot & Review
A 32-year-old Mosinee man is facing three felony charges after he allegedly fled from a three-vehicle crash near Wausau that left three people injured.
Matthew Gendron faces three counts of hit-and-run involving injury and two misdemeanor charges in connection with the Dec. 7 crash. Charges were filed Jan. 6 in Marathon County Circuit Court and Gendron will be summoned into court in February for an initial appearance in the case.
The crash was reported at about 1:20 p.m. on Dec. 7 on the off-ramp from southbound Hwy. 51 to County Hwy. NN. Police say Gendron slammed into the back of a vehicle that was stopped at a stop sign, which caused that vehicle to crash into a vehicle ahead. All three vehicles showed extensive damage, according to the police report.
Witnesses told police the driver responsible, later identified as Gendron, left his vehicle at the scene and fled on foot. He was found a short time later in the back yard of a nearby residence. Gendron allegedly told police he hit a patch of ice just before the crash.
One victim, a passenger in the middle vehicle, was transported to Aspirus Wausau Hospital for treatment but all injuries to the drivers and the passenger were minor, according to the police report.
Police say Gendron was driving with a license that was revoked for driving while intoxicated causing injury, charges that resulted from a crash that happened in 2015.
Police do not suspect Gendron was intoxicated at the time of the December 7 crash. Based on the damage to all three vehicles, police determined Gendron was driving at a high rate of speed on the exit ramp.
An initial appearance is set for Feb. 21.
