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Published - Friday, January 02, 2009

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Police seek driver of van in fatal New Year’s accident
By KJ LANG | klang@lacrossetribune.com

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TOWN OF CAMPBELL — Police are searching for a white GMC Safari van after a hit-and-run Wednesday night near the Clinton Street Bridge left a man dead, Campbell police Sgt. Tim Kelemen said Thursday.

William E. Harter, 55, of the town of Campbell, died Wednesday night at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center after being struck twice by passing vehicles at about 10:45 p.m., Kelemen said.
Harter was walking in the street; snow on a nearby sidewalk had not been removed.

Harter was walking along Clinton Street toward French Island when a black truck heading west swerved to miss him near Bainbridge Street, witnesses said. The truck was followed by the white van, also westbound, which hit Harter and failed to stop, Kelemen said.

Harter was likely in the street, getting up after being struck by the van, when a third vehicle, a Chevy Suburban driven by a male from Janesville, Wis., ran him over, Kelemen said.

Police say the driver of the third vehicle likely did not see Harter because oncoming motorists were flashing headlights attempting to warn oncoming traffic of the situation.

The name of the third driver, who called 911, has not been released, but Kelemen said the driver was not intoxicated and no arrests have been made. An autopsy on Harter will be performed

Police say they have located trim and a turn signal that may be from the front passenger side of the GMC Safari van.

  • Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Campbell Police Department at (608) 783-1050 or the Crime Stoppers Hotline at (608) 784-TIPS.
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    slinger1919 wrote on Jan 2, 2009 7:53 PM:

    " Very unfortunate!!! Too bad someone lost a life. This is going to get ugly. Unfortunately there is fault on All three sides...the driver should've stopped-then the man may not of been hit again, the sidewalks should've been shoveled and someone's going to be paying for this, and some blame is to the man for walking in the street. No, he did not deserve to get killed or even hurt BUT he shouldn't of been in the street regardless of the snow. "

    laxreader wrote on Jan 2, 2009 7:27 PM:

    " rich1964.....get those cber's to find this driver!! They have nothing better to do hence the reason they are always on the cb talking trash about situations they don't know a thing about. maybe cbradio can hook you up!! Bunch of nothings!!! That is from experience with dealing with the ignorance of the cb world and the ignorant, lying people on the cb's. Anything for attention, whether it be good or bad!!! "

    Nikki Beaverhausen wrote on Jan 2, 2009 3:26 PM:

    " Outoftowner: to answer your questions, there is only one sidewalk to traverse over the water. It is on the opposite side of the street and is often impassible. Since the paper says it was unshoveled, my guess would be impassible. The length of this bridge is several car lengths long and not well lit although there are lights at the kwik trip at one end of the bridge. In addition it is never really clear whether it is one or two lanes as one crosses the bridge. Most people drive two lanes wide even though before the bridge there is a sign stating that there is only one lane. The road does not narrow past the one lane sign and comes to a T intersection at the kwik trip where there are two lanes. Hope this helps. "

    outoftowner wrote on Jan 2, 2009 2:26 PM:

    " Okay, so educate me on this sidewalk/street situation, because as my "name" indicates, I'm from out of town, ie. cannot drive by and see it. So the sidewalk in question is/was impassable on foot? Or is it just really, really mounded up and difficult to traverse? (notice I said difficult and not impossible) Is it literally the only path to get to and from one certain destination? Is the area well lit or lit at all? How long is the stretch that you would "have to" walk in the street?
    Now I'm curious, but I still wouldn't choose to walk in the street for anything more than a few steps. After 10 o'clock on any given night, some heinous percentage of drivers are under the influence of something. I don't even want to know what it is on New Years Eve. "

    rich1964 wrote on Jan 2, 2009 2:20 PM:

    " babyboo if you have access to a cb radio get ahold of polish southern comfort tell him what happened and what you want to do he will get all his cb friends together and look for the van i am trying to get ahold of him right now no luck yet but i live about 100 miles away so i dont know if i will get ahold of him "

    mmercier43@charter.net wrote on Jan 2, 2009 2:11 PM:

    " If they would pick up the snow and not just push it.I thought it was snow removal. just what this town need more law suits. "

    Im Still Jackson wrote on Jan 2, 2009 1:57 PM:

    " I hope they catch the driver who fled and I cant even begin to imagine what a mess this will be trying to figure out who actually killed Bill with 3 vehicles involved and the idiot that fled has just dug themself a very deep hole by fleeing. At this point even if they were drunk the ticket MIGHT had been way better because of the extensive circumstances and other vehicles involved.The runner is now guilty of leaving the scene of an accident and then some maybe even manslaughter but the probability to convict an alcohol negligence crime is over with because of the time passed.
    Most likely why they fled but well just have to wait and see. Maybe an elderly person thought they ran over a piece of ice? Who knows anymore. Again My condolences to the Harter family Bill was a good man I knew many years "

    Im Still Jackson wrote on Jan 2, 2009 1:46 PM:

    " Davisinlse: You are right I did say City but meant County.My bad was still trying to chop a hole in the ice to get my other oar in the water and it just really ticked me off to get home early this morning and NOW read its a hit and run and 3 vehicles were involved and one took off??? Maybe before they hit the cash registering Breaking News button to get advertising hits they should get the story and the BASIC FACTS!Wouldnt it had bettered the chance at catching the person who took off from the scene(the van) had we knew 20 hrs earlier what to be looking for and why??? "

    babyboo1977 wrote on Jan 2, 2009 1:33 PM:

    " maybe i should get up enough people to help me look for this van.this is my uncle and i really miss him.this sucks that this had to happen.so if anyone could tell me hot i start this and maybe some of you would help me. "

    rich1964 wrote on Jan 2, 2009 1:15 PM:

    " sorry cb i know the county is responsible for the sidewalk i was not blaming anyone i just said why does someone have to get hurt or in this case killed before something is done it was something that could have been avoided.as far as looking for the van i would if i was in the lacrosse area i have known bill since i was little and this just doesnt make sense to me maybe you could get off your computer and look for the van i know bill had a lot of c.b. friends maybe they can do what the police cant find the van "

    davidinlse wrote on Jan 2, 2009 1:08 PM:

    " RE; Im Still Jackson
    wrote on Jan 2, 2009 12:28 PM:

    You DID say it was the city's responsibility. Your words, "The city should be SUED to the hill for that Blocked sidewalk being its the ONLY one on the bridge"

    It's the county's responsibility, which is obvious, as the county had 5 pieces of equipment there at 11:15 cleaning the sidewalks. "

    CB Radio wrote on Jan 2, 2009 12:35 PM:

    " the term 'they' is such a loose and general term Rich. The only people clearing the snow were La Crosse county highway workers. La crosse county owns and is required to maintain this area not the town of campbell or city of lacrosse. The lacrosse sidewalks were clear as well as the sidewalks owned by business owners in campbell. Maybe you should spend less time playiung the blame game and spend your free time look for the van. "

    jens2gd4u wrote on Jan 2, 2009 12:34 PM:

    " Hillbilly I totally agree with you!!! Too paranoid to drive, so the whole thing would have been avoided. You would be @ home raiding the refrigerator. The person needs to come forward who hit him. That person is still in the wrong. Take responsibility...and that includes keeping the sidewalks clear!!!!! "

    Im Still Jackson wrote on Jan 2, 2009 12:28 PM:

    " I never said it was LaCrosses jurisdiction thats why my reference was to the loafers in COUNTY LOCKUP. Im quite aware of the politics of road maintanance in the area.
    To Pack4Life as usual your idiotness shows in all you write.Like you would go in your pocket pay people and break a sweat shoveling the bridge... Yeah right! ROFLMAO
    You know why they dont make the prisoners shovel snow? Because the county /state would be liable if they were injured! Thank the lawyers of the world for that one! Thats how it use to be done.You go to jail in the south they put your a$$ out in the HOT sun picking up garbage under shotgun supervision and cutting fenceline growth with all the water you want!Its time to pass laws so WI can put that jail workforce to work instead of playing cards waiting for the next free meal "

    rich1964 wrote on Jan 2, 2009 12:13 PM:

    " they finally got off their butts and are cleaning the sidewalk i guess someone has to get killed to make them do it.out of towner should have tried walking on that sidewalk after they plowed the snow off the road onto it.i hope they catch the van driver they cant hide forever. "

    Hillbilly wrote on Jan 2, 2009 11:57 AM:

    " Most hit-and-run's turn out to be drunks who are trying to avoid DUI's. We'll see . . .
    And that's why alcohol is such a safe and legal drug you can buy in grocery stores. Huh?! If alcohol were to be introduced as a drug now, there is no way it would be approved for general or over-the-counter use. It would be at least a Schedule II controlled substance. Any society which cannot come up with an argument against alcohol has absolutely nothing to say about pot! End marijuana prohibition now!! "

    SP0506 wrote on Jan 2, 2009 11:29 AM:

    " True; the victim should not have walked in the street, but the issue here is mainly about the person who initially hit this victim and left the scene. I hope this opens everyones eyes now..... "

    rick wrote on Jan 2, 2009 10:26 AM:

    " On the bridge going across the slough,where the culvert used to be, one has to walk in the street because the snow is plowed up too high on what little sidewalk there is.Take a drive by there and you will see what people are talking about. "

    outoftowner wrote on Jan 2, 2009 9:49 AM:

    " I agree it is unfortunate that someone has been hit by a car and the coward left without taking responsibility. I agree it is unfortunate that the only sidewalk was not cleared of snow.
    HOWEVER...if you were given the option of walking IN THE STREET (whether it is on the side of it or in the middle of it, either way, you're in it) or walking on a snowy sidewalk, you should probably walk on the snow. I do it all the time. Is it a pain? Sure. Is it the safest option? Clearly. "

    justfillinin2 wrote on Jan 2, 2009 9:17 AM:

    " May'be once they figure out who actually owns it they can hand out taxi cab vouchers for safe rides like the bars offer until they can get the sidewalk cleared. "

    nana3 wrote on Jan 2, 2009 9:16 AM:

    " The responsibility for this death falls on the shoulders of the town of Campbell. Obviously 3 vehicles had trouble seeing this poor man. The second vehicle is guilty of hit and run, but if he was getting up again when hit by vehicle number 3, number 3 probably caused his death. Were all of the vehicles going to fast and following too close?
    Cities and towns should not hold a double standard, if citizens have to clear their walkways, then they should have to clear the walkways owned by them. "

    Enjoylife wrote on Jan 2, 2009 8:57 AM:

    " Tribune needs to do their research...this SAME THING happened in nearly the same spot about 3 weeks ago (Young kid walking home- hit by a drunk driver which left the scene). Fortunately, that kid lived but not after spending a few nights in the hospital. His reason for walking in the street- sidewalks were not plowed. true story . . . its a friend of a friend. "

    cb radio wrote on Jan 2, 2009 6:50 AM:

    " the road and sidewalks in that area are ownd and are required to be maintained by the county highway dept "

    Uncle Ted wrote on Jan 2, 2009 6:36 AM:

    " Coming from the Island this morning - the sidewalks on Clinton St. still are NOT plowed. A man has died b/c of this and yet still nothing has been done by the city/town - whoevers jurisdiction it falls under. "

    PACK 4 LIFE wrote on Jan 2, 2009 6:34 AM:

    " The sidewalks(walkpath) get cleared through the marsh,and from lax to cambell,the sidewalk is unusable 4 years? Someone should be fired or voted OUT!!!!!! "

    PACK 4 LIFE wrote on Jan 2, 2009 6:25 AM:

    " Oh and may the van driver rot in HELL "

    PACK 4 LIFE wrote on Jan 2, 2009 6:23 AM:

    " I have a truck,if someone has buckets we could get some salt sand mix from the fire department,and really clean it up nice.Well chairman?Maybe someone could read this to him?That sidewalk has been a joke 4 YEARS.I have 2 extra shovels if anyone wants to help and needs one.I have a nephew and a neighbor kid I can recruit,so there is 3 of us(I will pay them out of my pocket so we will be there) What time do you want us there chairman? "

    PACK 4 LIFE wrote on Jan 2, 2009 6:14 AM:

    " 25 of us and we won't even have an hour invested.I expect the town chairman to put out the fire department and road crews out,to clean the sidewalk spotless,so the HARTER family doesn't have to see anyone forced to WALK in the street.wizm 1410 a.m. radio is saying he was walking in the middle of the street.Is this true? Maybe the van driver can tell us? Time 4 the town to step up and CLEAN UP this sidewalk,how many YEARS has it been since it has been cleaned in the WINTER? Well chairman what time should we show up with our shovels? jack and I wi;; be there,well at least I will be.WELL chairman? "

    PACK 4 LIFE wrote on Jan 2, 2009 6:03 AM:

    " Wake up drifter,jackson hasn't had both oars in the water in years.He knows (probably she)knows everything and does nothing,actually vice versa.Must be the town chairman,types up a storm but doesn't know what end of a shovel 2 use.The sidewalk is 2 shovels wide,put up or shut up jack,you grab yours and I will mine and we can get something done here.Quit typing and grab a shovel folks. "

    High Plains Drifter wrote on Jan 2, 2009 5:33 AM:

    " How tragic for the Harter family and the second driver. To Im Still Jackson, who wrote on Jan 2, 2009 12:03 AM:" How the hell does this become a HIT & RUN a day after the initial breaking news? "
    It became a "HIT & RUN" the instant the first driver made the decision not to stop....hence the phrase "Hit...and run".Also,the phrase is "to the HILT",with reference to the hilt of a sword and bygone barbaric battles. Do you have both oars in the water today?? I mean,normaly your blogs are OK. "

    Capt Fantastik wrote on Jan 2, 2009 1:57 AM:

    " Hold on a minute Jackson. If you re-read the story the accident happened in the town of Campbell, west of the Clinton St. bridge near Bainbridge St. While I also have issues with the apparent double standard that La Crosse seems to feel is justified when it comes to the city sidewalk situation, it would seem that they (La Crosse) have nothing to do with this accident because it is out of their jurisdiction.
    My sympathies go out to the Harter family and I also feel sorry for the second driver who was involved because of possible feeling of responsibility and guilt when there seems like there should be none. The driver of the GMC will be found. There seems to be too much damage to go unnoticed. You better find a good lawyer. "

    Im Still Jackson wrote on Jan 2, 2009 12:03 AM:

    " What a RAG does this paper operate by computer only or what? How the hell does this become a HIT & RUN a day after the initial breaking news? What a bunch of lazy sad reporting!
    The city should be SUED to the hill for that Blocked sidewalk being its the ONLY one on the bridge and I hope the surviving family calls one of LaCrosses finest lawyers to get the job done. They complain and site homeowners almost immediately if theres a complaint but then as they have an entire crew available let the bridges go. I got an idea take some of those 3 hots and a cot loaferes in county lockup and PUT A SHOVEL IN THERE HAND! "


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