Dunn County officer dies in Christmas Eve crash; driver charged with homicide
Jeff Reynolds (Courtesy of the Dunn County Sheriff's Office)
The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office said that one of its officers died in a crash on Christmas Eve.
On Tuesday, Dunn County correctional officer Jeff Reynolds was going west on U.S. Highway 12/State Highway 29 near Menomonie at 2:44 a.m.
He was on his way to fill a shift at the jail when his vehicle was hit by a northbound car on County Highway E that didn’t stop at a stop sign, according to the sheriff’s office.
The driver of the other car, 40-year-old Mark Sokolowski, has been charged with homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle and is being held at the Eau Claire County Jail.
Three other passengers in Sokolowski’s car, including his wife, were also injured in the crash, according to law enforcement.
Officials say that Reynolds began his career with the sheriff’s office in 2007 and was a “valued member who will be missed greatly.”
The crash is being investigated by the Wisconsin State Patrol.
According to an obituary, a visitation for Reynolds will be held from 2-5 p.m. Jan. 3 at Hulke Family Funeral Home in Eau Claire.