By Shereen Siewert
A 22-year-old Edgar man is facing a mandatory five-year prison term after toxicology tests showed a small amount of Delta 9 -THC in his blood after a crash that left one man dead and two people injured.
Police say Hunter Christiansen was driving with a revoked license on June 26 when he crashed into an SUV while crossing Hwy. 29 in western Marathon County near Abbotsford. Court documents show Christiansen was traveling south on Corinth Road when he crossed the westbound lanes of Hwy. 29, stopped at the median, then pulled out in front of the SUV. Christiansen said he did not see the vehicle approaching, police said.
The driver of the SUV, 40-year-old Matthew Froehlich, died of his injuries after the crash, police said. Two other people including Froehlich’s wife, Jillian, were injured in the crash and were hospitalized.
The couple’s two children were taken to the hospital but were not injured, officials said. The family was from Minnesota.
Now, Christansen faces charges of homicide by negligent use of a controlled substance, a crime that carries a mandatory minimum five-year prison term. Gov. Tony Evers in November 2019 signed a bill tightening penalties for intoxicated drivers who kill someone.
Christansen is also facing charges of knowingly operating with a revoked license causing death, operating with a restricted controlled substance and causing injury while operating with a controlled substance.
During an initial court appearance Monday, Circuit Judge Suzanne O’Neill set a $5,000 cash bond. A review hearing is set for Friday.
