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Dashcam captures deer crashing into work van in Mequon
A dashcam video shows a deer crashing into a work van on Christmas Eve in Mequon, leaving the vehicle heavily damaged but still drivable as the owner finished his service call.
MEQUON, Wis. - There are signs on roads and highways all over Wisconsin warning of deer-crossing, but a Christmas Eve crash in Mequon shows just how unpredictable those encounters can be.
What they're saying:
The incident was captured on dash camera video as Mike Brauckhoff, owner of Tru Heating and Cooling Services in Thiensville, was driving to a service call.
"Yeah, I put this on the truck, cause I thought it would help in case I encountered a deer," Brauckhoff said. "It didn't."
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Brauckhoff was heading to West Bend to fix a customer’s heat when the crash happened on Highland Road in Mequon.
"Suddenly the truck shook," he said. "I heard a loud thud, and the truck shook."
Brauckhoff said he noticed two deer crossing the road but did not see a third deer that suddenly launched into the side of his work van.
"So, to the best of my guess, the deer’s head hit about here and it kinda rolled off the back, broke the taillight, I’m guessing with the hoof," he said.
Video: Deer slams into moving van in Mequon
A deer slammed into the side of a cargo van in Mequon, leaving a sizable dent but seemingly dodging serious injury, on Christmas Eve.
Despite the impact, Brauckhoff said the deer appeared startled but unharmed and his van was still operable. He continued on to complete the service call before heading home.
Local perspective:
"I went to West Bend and got the guy’s heat running, and then I went home and looked at my van, took a couple of pictures and had a beer," he said.
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Brauckhoff later joked about the incident in a Facebook post, writing, "Mikey got run over by a reindeer on his way to a job." When another driver later uploaded video of the crash, he shared it as well, writing, "Now you know I wasn’t lying!"
While the moment brought humor, the damage was significant. Brauckhoff said the van will likely be totaled because repair costs exceed its value.
"The van is going to be totaled," he said. "The cost to repair it exceeds the value of the van, but fortunately for me, it’s still drivable, and I can carry on my business with it."
The Source: The information in this post was collected and produced by FOX6 News.