3 Girl Scouts, Chaperone Dead In Hit-And-Run, Suspect Driver Arrested

A 21-year-old man who was allegedly behind the wheel of a pickup truck involved in a hit-and-run crash in Chippewa Falls, western Wisconsin, which killed three girl scouts and one adult, was arrested Sunday.

The suspect, Colten Treu, from Chippewa Falls, is expected to appear in court Monday. Reports said he surrendered to the police; investigators did not say what caused him to drive off the road. Treu was charged with four counts of homicide through the negligent use of a vehicle, including suspicion of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle and homicide by negligent use of a vehicle.

The incident happened Saturday afternoon. The girl scouts, having adopted the hilly, rural stretch of County Road P, were picking up litter at the time. A speeding Ford F-150, which was allegedly being driven by Treu, veered off the road into a ditch where four of the girls and one adult chaperon were cleaning. The vehicle hit them and then sped off without stopping.

Two of the girls and the adult were killed roadside, a report in the Washington Post said. One of the girls died at the hospital later, while a fourth is in critical condition. The identities of the victims will be released Monday, Chippewa Falls School District Superintendent Heidi Eliopoulos said.

Reports citing records from the school district said the girls were students of two elementary schools, Halmstad Elementary and Southview Elementary. All the girls were in fourth grade and were in their Scout uniforms at the time.

“Today Nokomis suffered a tremendous loss. It is with profound sadness that we join together in mourning the tragic loss of our Girl Scout sisters,” Sylvia Acevedo, chief executive of Girl Scouts of the USA, said in a statement Sunday. “Our hearts are broken for the girls and families of the Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes.”

"This is a difficult time for our students, families, and staff," Eliopoulos said in a message to parents. "We will be providing ongoing support for both students (and) families and staff for as long as needed.” Eliopoulos lived near the highway where the victims were struck. She said she was informed of the incident by a neighbor who said “younger children were involved.”

"And our instincts kicked in, knowing that if there was an accident in our community, there was a very good chance it was our students," she said.

“The Lake Hallie Police Department would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the families involved. We would also like to thank the City of Chippewa Falls Police Department, Chippewa County Sheriff's Department, Wisconsin State Patrol and Chippewa Fire District for their assistance in this matter," Lake Hallie Police Sgt. Daniel Sokup said in a statement quoted by Fox 9.

"Please join us by continuing to support our grieving families with your thoughts and prayers," Halmstead Elementary School Principal Wade Pilloud and Southview Elementary School Principal Sara Denure said in a joint statement. "We have received an overwhelming outpouring of support from our community, from around the state and from around the nation."