Chief Deputy Dan Kontos is seen talking with Lt. Mike Morgan (left) and County Coroner Scott Rifleman (right) during introductions at Tuesday’s quarterly Commission meeting. (City-Times photo)

Accident statistics, county road projects discussed

By Brandi Makuski

The Portage Co. Traffic Safety Commission held its quarterly meeting on July 1.

The Commission discussed law enforcement strategies for dealing with an expected spike in traffic next month for the Farm Technology Days in Plover, an update on county road work, as well as second quarter traffic accident reports.

Portage County Highway Commissioner Nathan Check said roadwork on County Highway R was currently ahead of schedule and would be reopened to traffic sometime in mid-July.

Paving on County J from Hwy 66 to CC will also be complete in mid-July, and work on County Z will be complete in August, Check said.

The Commission also heard a summary of local traffic accidents throughout the county, which included five fatalities in four separate incidents on county roads during the second quarter of 2014.

The Portage County Sheriff’s Office reported to the Commission responding to 167 crashes, with 29 resulting in personal injuries, 37 causing property damage, along with the five fatalities. Two individuals were killed in a crash at Hwy 66 and County PP on April 21 at 4:47 PM. Drugs and alcohol were not contributing factors in that crash.

Two of the fatal accidents were alcohol related. The first occurred on May 11 at 1:29 AM on Highway 54 at Coolidge Avenue. The driver’s blood alcohol content was .198. The second accident also occurred on Highway 54, near 90^th Street in the Town of Grant on May 17 at 12:17 AM. That driver’s blood alcohol content was .125.

The fourth fatal accident occurred on June 26 at 11:26 AM on Hwy 34 and County E. Portage Co. Coroner Scott Rifleman said alcohol is not suspected but test results have not been returned.  

Sgt. Dan Wheeler from the Stevens Point Police Department said no fatal accidents were reported within city limits during the 2^nd quarter. The department responded to a total of 125 accidents, with 25 of those being hit-and-run incidents and 27 resulting in injuries. He also said 18 of the reported accidents occurred in parking lots and 53 happened at intersections in the city.

The department had only one OWI accident, and one involving a bicycle.

Plover Police Chief Dwayne Weirzba reported the village saw only 20 reportable accidents, with no fatalities. Seven of the crashes resulted in injury, 11 occurred at intersections and 8 accidents happened in parking lots or on private property.

The Commission also elected new officers. Lt. Mike Morgan was unanimously elected a new president replacing Chief Deputy Dan Kontos, who was not eligible for reelection, having just served two terms in the spot.

Joe Gemza from the Stevens Point Fire Department was elected as vice president. 

The Commission is required under state statute to meet at least quarterly and charged with reviewing traffic accident data and other traffic safety- related matters.