Speed a factor in crash that killed Salem officer

While authorities determined the cause of a fatal crash involving Town of Salem Public Safety Officer Michael Ventura, the State Patrol and Medical Examiner's Office could not determine why (Earlene Frederick/The Report).
While authorities determined the cause of a fatal crash involving Town of Salem Public Safety Officer Michael Ventura, the State Patrol and Medical Examiner’s Office could not determine why (Earlene Frederick/The Report).

Autopsy rules death accidental

By Jason Arndt
Staff Writer

While speed played a role in the July 8 fatal crash of Michael Josua Ventura, authorities still can’t solve the puzzle of why the former Town of Salem Public Safety Officer had his emergency lights deployed, according to a 91-page report by the Wisconsin State Patrol.

Trooper Michael Smith compiled the report that includes witness statements, scene evidence, speed analysis, in addition to statements by three Kenosha County Sheriff’s Deputies and four other troopers.

Ventura, 32, had been heading westbound on Highway 50 near Highway B at approximately 82-85 mph without a seatbelt, and in turn, got ejected from the 2003 Ford Expedition, the report said.

VenturaMichael-copy
Michael Ventura

Sgt. Nate Clarke of the State Patrol said on Tuesday that Ventura, whose vehicle rolled over multiple times upon contact with a gravel shoulder, left Ventura on the Highway 50 pavement.

“Speed was a factor in this crash, he was driving at a high rate, leaving him to get ejected,” Clarke stated.

When authorities arrived to the scene, they dispatched Flight For Life Helicopter and airlifted him to Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa, where he was pronounced dead.

From there, Ventura had been transported to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy, according to a Kenosha County supplemental investigation report obtained by the Report on Tuesday.

Milwaukee County Medical Examiner Brian Peterson, who conducted the autopsy, concluded on July 15 Ventura died of multiple blunt force injuries suffered in the wreck and ruled it accidental.

While toxicology reports indicated presence of a controlled substance, a representative at the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office states Midazolam is given intravenously, most likely either at Froedtert or on scene to alleviate any pain. Clarke confirmed the findings.

In addition to the autopsy report, the State Patrol’s report concluded there were no mechanical flaws after a thorough exam of the vehicle by state inspector Richard Krisher at Jensen’s Towing and Recovery on July 14.

“A mechanical inspection performed on the Ford did not reveal any preexisting mechanical conditions that would have caused or contributed to the crash,” the report stated.

Before the crash, Ventura had been assigned boat patrol on Silver Lake, and Twin Lakes dispatch logs revealed he clocked in at 2:41 p.m.

At 4:19 p.m., Ventura told dispatch he planned to leave Silver Lake for vehicle maintenance.

“Evidence collected from his cellular phone and credit card bill showed that ate dinner at 75th St. Inn,” the state patrol report said, noting the restaurant is about one mile east of the crash.

Additionally, cell phone records revealed he texted his wife at about 5:15 p.m., stating he would check the lake for boats before returning home for the evening.

But, 20 minutes later, according to statements from seven witnesses, and dispatch logs from the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department, no one knows what compelled Ventura to deploy his emergency lights and travel at a high speed.

“At this time there is no evidence to support or explain why the officer was traveling in emergency status at the time of the crash,” the report concluded.

Since Ventura’s death, the Town of Salem Public Safety Department has suspended operations, only offering patrols during busy school hours.

The fate of the department is still under review.

As the Town of Salem reviews the future of the safety department, Ventura’s death remains a mystery, Clarke said.

“What the mystery is, where he was going, and what he was doing that caused him to have his emergency lights on,” he said.


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