West Bend hit-and-run injures man, kills dog; man charged

WEST BEND, Wis. - A West Bend man is accused of injuring a man and killing a dog in a hit-and-run crash that happened on Monday, April 20.

In court:

Aaron Maeder, 54, is charged with one county of hit-and-run (causing injury). Court records show he made his initial appearance on Friday and posted $5,000 bond.

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Hit-and-run crash | April 20

The backstory:

Washington County sheriff's deputies were called to the area of Hillcrest and Nabob, northwest of Big Cedar Lake, shortly after 8:30 p.m. The victim was taken to a hospital, and the dog was dead at the scene.

According to a criminal complaint, a witness said the victim, his family and their dogs were out for a walk on the shoulder of Hillcrest Drive. The witness said a truck hit the victim with the "front right bumper area," which caused the victim to be thrown to the side and hit the truck's sideview mirror. The truck then hit the dog, which was not on a leash, and kept driving east toward Highway 144. 

The victim later told investigators he was "on the edge of the roadway where the grass and the pavement met," and his dog was next to him, when he was hit, the complaint said. He said he heard a vehicle approaching from behind, and the next thing he remembered was waking up to his wife crying. The victim had injuries to his head, leg, hands and face.

Suspect identified

What we know:

Deputies recovered vehicle parts at the hit-and-run scene, and based on part numbers, determined the suspect's vehicle had to be a 2019-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. Court filings said deputies found a vehicle that matched what they were looking for parked outside a West Bend home. It had front-end damage consistent with the parts found at the scene, and there was dog fur on one of the license plate screws.

The complaint said investigators checked surveillance cameras from around the area, which showed the truck had no visible damage as of the morning before the hit-and-run. It was not seen on camera in the days that followed.

Deputies reviewed Wisconsin Department of Transportation records and determined Maeder was the truck's registered owner, court filings said. When deputies spoke to Maeder and told him they were investigating a hit-and-run, he told them he didn't know how his truck was damaged. 

Court filings said Maeder told investigators that he was driving "towards Big Cedar" at around 8:30 p.m. on April 20. Specifically, he said he was near Hillcrest and Nabob while looking for deer. He also said he had hear plugs in while he was driving, so he would not have heard if he hit anything. 

Deputies arrested Maeder and, when they asked if he would like to answer one more question, the complaint said he responded: "I already admitted I did it."