Spooner man killed in pedestrian, vehicle crash

Alcohol and weather conditions were contributing factors in a fatal vehicle/pedestrian crash that killed a Spooner man early Sunday morning in Washburn County.

The Washburn County Sheriff’s Office was notified of an accident in the vicinity of County Highway D and Long Lake Avenue in the town of Long Lake at approximately 12:17 a.m. Sunday, according to a news release from Washburn County Sheriff Terry Dryden.

Upon arriving on scene, deputies determined the pedestrian, 18-year-old Thomas L. Beach of Spooner, was struck by a motor vehicle traveling westbound on County Highway D. The 18-year-old was declared dead at the scene by the Washburn County coroner. Preliminary investigations indicate that alcohol, adverse weather conditions and actions taken by Beach contributed to the accident, according to the news release.

The 46-year-old female operator of the motor vehicle that struck Beach was arrested for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, Dryden said.

The accident remains under investigation by the Washburn County Sheriff’s Office.

Tags: public safety, news, crime, accident, spooner