JUNEAU, Wis. — A Beaver Dam man has been convicted of homicide after driving into the wrong lane and causing a crash which affected seven other people.
According to Dodge County District Attorney Kurt Klomberg’s office, Dustin Vandergalien, 36, pled no contest Tuesday to the following:
- homicide by vehicle – use of a controlled substance 2nd or subsequent offense
- use of a vehicle with controlled substance in blood causing great bodily harm
- operate with a detectable amount of restricted controlled substance in blood causing injury as a 2nd or subsequent offense
On July 30, 2019, Vandergailen was driving in the wrong lane of County Road E and passed another vehicle into oncoming traffic. Officials said the man failed to return to the correct lane and struck the front corner of a Chevrolet Equinox. The SUV was knocked off the road and all three people inside the vehicle suffered injuries.
The release said Vandergailen also hit a second vehicle head-on, killing a man who was a front passenger in the other vehicle. The driver was severely injured, while the rear seat passengers also suffered multiple injuries. A total of six people were hurt as a result of the crash.
Vandergailen was extracted from his vehicle because of damages and later told officers he had “a few mixers.”
Officials said the man’s blood results showed a “metabolite” of cocaine and that he had been drinking before the crash. Vandergailen has been previously convicted twice for operating while intoxicated.
A sentencing hearing has been set for Sept. 15.
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