January 6, 2016 at 3:58 p.m.
Homicide charges filed in fatal OWI crash
Lego faces up to 25 years in prison on each count
Homicide charges filed in fatal OWI crash
Charges of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle and homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle (with a prohibited alcohol concentration) were filed against Randall J. Lego on the last day of 2015.
Lego appeared before Branch II Judge Michael Bloom on Nov. 23, two days after the crash. At that time, assistant district attorney Steve Michlig said the district attorney's office had not yetmade a charging decision as it was awaiting the results of blood tests taken about three hours after the crash.
Based on a police report, Bloom ruled a criminal offense had likely been committed and gave Lego a $10,000 signature bond with conditions that he not consume alcohol or operate a motor vehicle while the case is pending. He then set a Dec. 14 date before Branch I Judge Patrick O'Melia for an adjourned initial appearance.
At the Dec. 14 hearing, the conditions of the signature bond were modified to allow Lego to drive as a condition of his employment. At that time, the results of the blood alcohol test had not yet come back from the crime lab and another adjourned initial appearance was set for Jan. 11 before O'Melia.
The State Crime Laboratory in Wausau finished the blood test later in the month. According to the amended criminal complaint, the lab determined that Lego's blood alcohol level was .187 two hours after the crash.
Both charges are class D felonies punishable by up to 25 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 or both.
According to the criminal complaint, a 9-1-1 caller reported the crash at about 12:20 a.m. Nov. 21. The caller told dispatchers the "party at the scene," later identified as Jacob R. Juedes, 23, was deceased. When members of the Oneida County Sheriff's Office and Rhinelander Police Department arrived on scene they found that a pickup truck had hit a power pole, and that Juedes had been partially ejected from the vehicle. Law enforcement officers later learned that the truck belonged to Lego, who had called the victim's parents to report that he might have killed their son before starting to walk toward their residence, according to the report.
The parents left the house in their car, picked up Lego, and went to the crash site.
When deputies made contact with Lego they noticed "the strong odor of intoxicants," according to the police report.
Lego reportedly admitted to being out with some friends and consuming "a few beers" but would not say where the drinking occurred. After he kept trying to return to his vehicle, a deputy arrested him and placed him in handcuffs, the report states.
Because Lego was complaining of neck and back pain, he was placed in a neck brace and taken by ambulance to Ministry St. Mary's Hospital.
Once at the emergency room, Lego allegedly repeatedly refused to submit to a blood test. A search warrant was obtained at 2:39 a.m. from Bloom. Two blood samples were drawn from Lego, the first at 3:02 and the second at 3:35 a.m.
While he was being taken to have a CT scan of his neck and back, a deputy repeatedly tried to get Lego to submit to a preliminary breathalyzer test, but he refused to blow into the tube, according to the report.
Lego was held overnight for observation and then taken to the Oneida County Jail where he was given a misdemeanor citation for causing injury while operating while intoxicated and released.
He was in court in person at the initial appearance with his parents and several other supporters, who left once he had signed his signature bond. He was taken to a holding area and later released to leave with his parents.
Lego also has a traffic citation for refusing to submit to a breathalyzer test which will track along with the felony case.
Jamie Taylor may be reached at [email protected].
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