Watertown fatal hit-and-run, man accused of driving drunk
Jeffrey Redecker
MILWAUKEE - A Watertown man is accused of driving drunk when he fatally struck a pedestrian and fled the scene on Sunday, Dec. 21.
In Court:
Prosecutors charged 54-year-old Jeffrey Redecker with three felonies, including homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle. Court records show he's being held on $500,000 bond.
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Court filings said Redecker was previously convicted of driving with a prohibited alcohol concentration in 2006. His driving status was revoked for six months as a result.
Watertown hit-and-run
The backstory:
Watertown police were called to the area of 5th and Main. It was reported that a pedestrian was hit there around 12:40 a.m. on the morning of Dec. 21, but officers found the victim near 2nd and Main.
A criminal complaint said the victim appeared to have been "dragged down the road." The 35-year-old died at the scene despite life-saving attempts from first responders.
What they're saying:
A witness told police a red pickup truck with a metal rack was driving on Main Street and sounded like it was "dragging something," according to the complaint. The witness said he then saw a man being dragged under the truck until he fell onto the road and the truck kept driving.
Another witness said he was the victim's designated driver and had parked near 5th and Main to pick him up. The witness said he was taking a video to show the victim he was there – and captured the hit-and-run. Court filings said the victim was in a high visibility yellow jacket when the red truck hit him.
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Dig deeper:
Investigators used that video, along with additional video from the area, to identify the truck's license plate number. The complaint said they were then able to determine Redecker was the registered owner, and went to his home a few hours after the crash. The red truck was parked at the home, and there was blood and pieces of the victim's jacket on the vehicle.
Court filings said Redecker came outside and said he had been driving the truck earlier that evening and admitted he'd been out drinking. When an officer informed him that he hit and injured someone with his truck, he said he "didn't know he hit someone" and "didn't even feel a bump."
Police put Redecker through field sobriety tests and then conducted a preliminary breath test, which the complaint said yielded a 0.121 BAC hours after the crash. He was then taken to a hospital for an evidentiary blood draw.
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The Source: FOX6 News referenced information from the Watertown Police Department, Jefferson County District Attorney's Office and Wisconsin Circuit Court.