Last Friday, a Wisconsin Senate Democrat was involved in a car crash that left two people dead, including a 27-year-old Pennsylvania mom and her 5-year-old daughter, according to authorities.
Wisconsin’s state Senate Minority Leader Janet Bewley was involved in a fatal car crash that left a mother and her 5-year-old daughter dead. https://t.co/7bbRgND9VU
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) July 26, 2022
Democratic Minority Leader Janet Bewley, 70, who represents northwestern Wisconsin, was not injured in the crash, police said.
“We’ll be sitting down with them and going over everything as far as determining how it all actually happened,” Ashland Police Chief Bill Hagstrom said, “Then we’ll forward everything to the district attorney for their review because it was a fatal accident.”
The accident occurred just before 12:30 p.m. on Friday, after Bewley pulled out of a Lake Superior beach entrance and into the path of a car driven by Alyssa Ortman, Ashland Police Department said. When Ortman’s car collided with Bewley’s, it spun across Highway 2 and was hit by another vehicle.
Officials said Ortman’s daughter was pronounced dead at the scene while Ortman died later at a nearby hospital.
However, as of Monday, no charges have been filed in the incident; Hagstrom said that the incident is still an active investigation pending a report from Wisconsin State Patrol, which is working to determine how everything happened.
In a statement, Bewley’s office said:
“This is a heartbreaking event for the community. Our thoughts and prayers are focused on the individuals involved, their families and their loved ones, Senator Bewley, who was not seriously injured in the accident, wants to thank all the dedicated law enforcement and emergency medical personnel who helped in the aftermath of the accident.”
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that Bewley disclosed her Thursday cataract eye surgery to one of their reporters on Friday afternoon. But regarding the alleged procedure, Bewley’s office declined to comment.
Update on Senate minority leader Janet Bewley, who cut off another driver resulting in the death of a 5 year old girl.
She was driving, while doing a phone interview, the day after having cataract surgery.
Let that simmer. https://t.co/XuFZxcDjxC
— Rangermonk (@rangermonk1) July 27, 2022
Bewley, a senator for the state since 2015, is not running for office again.
Alyssa Ortman, 27, and her 5-year-old daughter Khaleesi Fink died after a car crash in Ashland involving Senate Minority Leader Janet Bewley
— JSOnline – NewsWatch (@js_newswatch) July 26, 2022
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Sources: Conservativebrief, Foxnews, Usatoday