Man’s body found near van involved in Sauk Co. crash a day earlier

WESTFIELD TOWNSHIP, Wis. (WMTV) - An 85-year-old man was found dead on Thursday next to a minivan that matched the description of one that was seen crashing into construction equipment the previous day and driving off, the Sauk Co. Sheriff’s Office reported.

The man, whose name was not released pending notification of the family, likely died from a combination of injuries sustained in that earlier crash and an ongoing medical condition, investigators determined. Deputies found his body around 1:15 p.m. after a caller reported seeing a man on the ground next to a vehicle at S6188 Co. Road D, in the Westfield Township.

Both front airbags of the 2000 Pontiac Montana found next to the man’s body had deployed and the minivan’s front end was damaged, the Sheriff’s Office noted. Investigators linked the damage to an incident late Wednesday afternoon, also along Co. Road D, where a piece of construction equipment had been struck from behind at the Stone Church Road intersection, and the other driver left.

The construction crew told deputies they did not see the collision itself; however, parts of the Pontiac van and fluids were found at the scene. At the time, deputies searched the area for the vehicle but did not find it.

The Sheriff’s Office added that its investigation into the crash is ongoing.