34-year-old Thomas Macemon now charged in connection with crash that killed 13-year-old girl
RACINE COUNTY -- 34-year-old Thomas Macemon of Racine has now been criminally charged -- accused of hitting 13-year-old Sara Dresen with his vehicle on Sunday evening, August 9th in Caledonia. Dresen was pronounced dead at the scene.
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Thomas Macemon
Macemon now faces one count of homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle, and one count of homicide by a vehicle (use of a controlled substance).
The crash happened just before 6 p.m. on Middle Road near 5 1/2 Mile Road.
The complaint indicates when Caledonia police arrived on scene, Macemon's vehicle was in the middle of the roadway with what appeared to be heavy front-end damage.
Dresen was being attended to by two people who had come upon the scene. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
An autopsy performed by the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office determined Dresen died as a result of a head injury/blunt force trauma to her head.
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13-year-old Sara Dresen struck by vehicle and killed in Caledonia
Macemon was found lying near the edge of a gravel driveway -- with what appeared to be an ankle injury. The complaint indicates officers found him to be "very disoriented."
He was asked whether he had been drinking, and police say Macemon told officers he had had "one drink" at a friend's house earlier Sunday.
Witnesses told officers they saw Macemon crawling on the ground from near his vehicle to near that gravel driveway after the crash.
Officers investigating the crash indicated it appeared as though Macemon's vehicle had crossed the center line, as well as the opposite lane of traffic before entering the ditch line. A speed limit sign was ripped out of the ground, and there were significant divots in the ground that appeared to be the result of the vehicle making contact with the ditch embankment.
At the hospital, the complaint indicates Macemon told paramedics he had had one shot of Hennessey Sunday.
A drug recognition expert was called in to evaluate Macemon, and that expert was able to gather a preliminary breath test sample from him which indicated a BAC of .01.
Eventually, Macemon told officials that in addition to the one shot of Hennessey he drank earlier Sunday, he had also smoked marijuana, and had "crushed up a Xanax pill earlier in the day -- snorting it using a dollar bill." He further stated that over the weekend, he had taken a round pill that a friend gave him -- indicating he didn't know what it was, according to the complaint.
Police say Macemon changed his story multiple times, and "it was obvious he wasn't being truthful."
The drug recognition expert said based on his evaluation, he believed Macemon was under the influence of depressants.
It was determined that Macemon's ankle had been broken in two places.
Police interviewed three witnesses to the crash, who indicated Macemon's vehicle crossed the center line as it headed northbound on Middle Road. When the vehicle hit the ditch, the witnesses indicated it went up on two wheels -- hitting Sara Dresen on the west side of Middle Road.
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13-year-old Sara Dresen struck by vehicle and killed in Caledonia
The complaint indicates Macemon was headed northbound, and Dresen was walking southbound -- on the gravel off the road. She had just passed 5 1/2 Mile Road when the crash happened, officials say.
After striking Dresen, Macemon's vehicle hit the speed limit sign and a telephone pole.
The complaint indicates Macemon has a prior OWI conviction from 2011, a conviction for misdemeanor possession of THC from 2004, a conviction for bail jumping from 2000, and a conviction for possession of THC from 2000.
Macemon will be in court on August 20th for his preliminary hearing.