On Saturday, August 12, 2023, at 12:50 p.m., the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call reporting an ATV accident on Lake Shore Drive in the Village Of Rib Lake.
The 911 caller was in a group of individuals driving UTVs and found the injured person lying on the road. The person was injured and unresponsive. Taylor County deputies, the fire department, and EMS were dispatched.
Upon emergency services arrival at the scene, the unresponsive ATV rider was identified as James C. Wacholtz Jr., 48, of Rib Lake. He has severe injuries and was airlifted to a hospital in Wausau where he was pronounced deceased.
A preliminary investigation into the cause of the ATV accident indicates the driver likely lost control of the ATV while attempting to negotiate a right turn. This caused the ATV to overturn, and he was ejected off the ATV as it overturned. Speed is being considered as a factor in the cause of the accident, but the DNR is continuing its investigation.