Crime & Safety

Lemont Man Charged with Homicide in Fatal Wisconsin DUI Crash

Joseph G. Hayes, 43, is accused of driving under the influence when he struck two other vehicles in Marinette County, WI, on Friday and killed a 21-year-old man.

A Lemont man is facing felony charges stemming from a head-on crash that killed a 21-year-old man in Wisconsin on Friday.

Joseph G. Hayes, 43, of the 400 block of Glenys Drive in Lemont, was charged Monday with one count of felony homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle and one felony count of homicide by use of a vehicle with prohibited alcohol concentration, according to Wisconsin court records. 

He is also facing one misdemeanor count of causing injuring while operating a vehicle under the influence and one misdemeanor count of causing injury while operating with a prohibited alcohol concentration.

According to a report by the Iron Mountain Daily News, Hayes was traveling south in the northbound lane of U.S. 141 in Pound, WI, around 10:55 p.m. Friday when he struck another car head-on. Authorities said alcohol is believed to be a factor.

The other driver, 21-year-old Kristian Reed of Niagra, WI, died from his injuries. Hayes also sustained injuries, according to the report.

Another vehicle—driven by a 36-year-old man from Homer Glen, IL—was traveling behind Reed at the time of the crash, and was also struck by Hayes, according to the Daily News.

Hayes is due in Marinette County Court on Monday, Oct. 7, according to Wisconsin court records.

Read the full Iron Mountain Daily News Report.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.