Merrill Man Charged with the Death of a Town of Marshfield Man Appears in Wood County Court

Thursday, November 16th, 2023 -- 3:01 PM

(Karen Madden, Marshfield News Herald) A not guilty plea was entered Wednesday for a 31-year-old Merrill man charged with the death of another man in a 2020 Marshfield crash.

According to Karen Madden with the Marshfield News Herald, Logan A. Wilke faces a charge of homicide by negligent operation of a motor vehicle for causing the death of John Zinthefer, 91, on March 30, 2020.

Wilke, who appeared by video along with his attorney, Corey Chirafisi, stood mute Wednesday, and Wood County Circuit Judge Greg Potter entered a not guilty plea for him. Wilke is scheduled for his final pretrial conference on March 15.

According to the criminal complaint, a caller reported a traffic crash involving a pedestrian on Wood County Y the morning of March 30, 2020. Wilke was the driver of a pickup that had hit Zinthefer.

Wilke told deputies he came over the crest of a hill and hit Zinthefer, who was in the traffic lane, according to the complaint. Wilke said Zinthefer was between the centerline and fog line, but closer to the fog line.

Wilke said he tried to brake and swerve to avoid hitting Zinthefer, but there was nothing he could do. A deputy talked to Zinthefer's wife, who said he had gone out to get the mail, according to the complaint.

A Marshfield police detective analyzed Wilke's cellphone and found that Wilke started playing a YouTube video at 10:12 a.m. GPS coordinates the detective got from the phone showed it was at the scene of the crash about 22 seconds after the video started playing, according to the complaint.

The call came into the 911 communications center at 10:14 a.m., according to police reports. The Wisconsin State Patrol did an analysis of the crash and found the pickup hit Zinthefer near the fog line and his mailbox, according to the complaint.

The analysis states Wilke would have had the time and distance to safely brake, stop and avoid hitting Zinthefer. The delay in charges was due to waiting for the analysis. If convicted, Wilke faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. He currently is free on a $5,000 signature bond.

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