Man with epilepsy 'blacked out' behind the wheel, causing crash that killed 2 and injured another in Pewaukee construction site

 

PEWAUKEE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The man accused of killing two people and injuring a third in a crash Wednesday morning at a Pewaukee construction site is now being charged with two counts of reckless homicide.

Court documents reveal 49-year-old Jade Moen of Menomonee Falls was heading west near Pewaukee Rd. and Capitol Dr. when he "blacked out."

 Police said he first rear-ended a tan sedan, killing the 76-year-old woman behind the wheel, before his truck continued west into a construction zone.

Witnesses estimated Moen's speed was about 30 miles per hour when he hit the sedan but went up to between 60 to 80 miles per hour when he entered an area blocked off by orange cones.

A 46-year-old construction worker was then killed, and another worker was injured and taken to a local hospital.

Investigators said when Moen later woke up, he handed over two forms of identification -- one of which was marked "VOID" and the other which had "Not a Driver's License" written on it in red.

Driving records show his license was "surrendered indefinitely" as of last August.

While being treated for his injuries, officials said Moen revealed he's suffered from seizures since 2010 and takes medication twice a day.

His wife later told investigators that despite the treatment, her husband has "breakthrough seizures" and that he's had them while driving in the past.

She added that when he goes to work, he either takes an Uber or she drives him in her car.

Documents said Moen told officials he was "sorry" for the accident.

Bail was set at $1,000,000 dollars in court on Thursday.

He also faces one count of first-degree reckless injury, two counts of knowingly operating a motor vehicle without a valid license causing death, one count of knowingly operating a motor vehicle without a valid license causing great bodily harm, and one count of first-degree recklessly endangering safety.

If convicted of all total charges, Moen faces 173 years in prison.

His next court hearing is at the end of July.

CBS 58 obtained a statement from LIUNA Local 113 -- a union who represents the worker who was killed -- which reads in full:

“Yesterday, an unimaginable tragedy occurred where a member of LIUNA Local 113 was killed while working at the construction zone on Capitol Drive near Pewaukee Road. They had been a member of our union for five years working to build and improve infrastructure throughout Southeast Wisconsin, and our union members grieve for their fallen member and their family.

Construction is a dangerous job, and our highly trained members face daily risks when they work to build our communities. It is so heartbreaking whenever any worker is killed or injured on the job.

Our union would also like to extend our sympathies to the driver who was killed in this accident, as well as the construction worker and others who were injured.

Finally, we would like to thank all of the first responders who quickly arrived at the accident site for your assistance in caring for all of those involved in this tragedy.”