(Spirit Lake)– Sentencing was held earlier this week for a man who was charged in connection with a fatal traffic crash on July 4th, 2003 on Highway 71 in Arnolds Park.
The crash claimed the lives of Jon Danbom and Julie Wolleson…both of Milford. The two were on a motorcycle driven by Danbom that was involved in a collision with a pickup driven by Blake Wolfswinkel…a Rock Rapids native who now lives in California.
Wolfswinkel had originally been charged with two counts of vehicular homicide, one count of operating while intoxicated and failure to yield on a left turn. Those charges were dropped in exchange for Wolfswinkel entering an Alford Plea to a single charge of involuntary manslaughter. He was placed on five years’ probation.
Officials say sobriety tests on Wolfswinkel were done at a local hospital instead of at the scene of the crash. Wolfswinkel was apparently told he could leave the hospital after the tests.
Prosecutors hope the case will lead to a change in procedure for law enforcement officers when they investigate such accidents in the future.
Wolfswinkel is also named in a civil suit in connection with the crash.
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