By: Isabelle Baier
On November 3rd, 2018, Girl Scout troop 3305 picked up highway trash as a way to help the community. They were just walking along, picking up garbage, when suddenly a black Ford truck crashed into them. Jayna Kelly, Autumn Helegson, Madalyn Zwiefelhofer, Haylee Hickle, and Haylee’s mother, Sarah Jo Schneider, were all hit by this truck and died–all except one: Madalyn Zwiefelhofer.
With two broken legs, a displaced pelvis, a broken cheekbone, and more injuries to her internal organs, Madalyn was rushed to the Eau Claire Mayo Clinic hospital, then flown to Rochester. While in the hospital Madalyn had open heart surgery. She was released from the hospital in time for Thanksgiving.
Colton Treu was the man driving the truck that hit the girls. He was intoxicated, high on aerosol spray. Witnesses say that they saw no brake lights. It is unclear how Mr. Treu could not see the neon vests all the girls wore. Mr. Treu fled the scene and police followed a liquid trail left by the vehicle. The police followed the trail to an empty house with the black truck in the garage. Colton Treu had run from his house knowing he did something wrong. Mr. Treu later turned himself in, along with his friend who was in the passenger seat of his truck during the incident.
Colton Treu was sentenced with 54 years in prison and 45 years of extended supervision after that.
Madalyn Zwiefelhofer is still recovering from the incident, which was more than two years ago.