A Beach Park, Illinois man is expected to face multiple felony charges in connection with a crash in Salem Lakes Friday in which three members of the same family died.
At a press conference in Kenosha Monday, Sheriff David Beth said a pick -up truck driven by Timothy G. Vandervere, 40, of Beach Park, Ill ran into the back of a Jeep Cherokee in about the 21600 block of Highway 50, eastbound lanes, Friday evening. Vandervere’s vehicle may have been traveling as fast as 100 mph, according to State Patrol investigators, when it collided with the Jeep with four occupants who had just left a church fish boil at a New Munster Catholic church.
Dr. Michael J. Rizzo, 67, of Kenosha, a passenger in the Jeep, was pronounced dead at the scene. The other passengers in the Jeep, Mary C. Rizzo, 74, of Kenosha, and Dr. Vincent C. Rizzo, 76, of Kenosha, died later after being transported to hospitals. The driver of the Jeep, Gerald J. Rizzo, 72, of Kenosha, was taken to local hospital where he remains in stable
condition with serious injuries as of Monday morning.
The Rizzo men were all brothers, Beth said. Vincent and Mary Rizzo were husband and wife.
Beth said the Rizzo family was well known in the Kenosha community. Michael Rizzo was a medical doctor, Vincent Rizzo a dentist and Mary Rizzo a registered nurse. Gerald Rizzo worked for Chrysler.
“Everyone seemed to know somebody in the Rizzo family,” Beth said. “Kenosha is aching right now for the loss of these three Rizzos.”
Vandervere was transported to Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee where he remains and is being treated for his injuries. He is expected to be booked and charged when he can be released from the hospital, Beth said.
(Note: westofthei.com does not connect individuals with specific charges until they are formally charged in court. — DH) He is under guard by Kenosha County Sheriff’s deputies.
Vandervere’s truck was reported just prior to the crash as driving recklessly going east on Highway 50, Beth said. Sheriff’s squads were trying to locate the truck when the crash was reported, shortly after the initial report.
Along with deputies, personnel from Salem Lakes Fire/Rescue, Bristol Fire and Rescue, Twin Lakes Rescue, Flight for Life and Kansasville Fire and Rescue responded to the scene. Beth had praise for the efforts of all of those individuals.
“Our deputies and rescue worked feverishly to keep them alive,” Beth said of the victims.
There are no known witnesses to the actual crash, just the aftermath, when several people did stop and attempt to help, Beth said. He asked that anyone who witnessed the crash or before the crash contact the KSD Detective Bureau at 262-605-5102.
Vandervere had a valid Illinois driver’s license, but had his Wisconsin driver’s license revoked. He has an OWI conviction in Illinois, Beth said.
Here is video of the Beth press conference:
UPDATE 5:19 p.m. — This update issued by Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department: “Timothy G. Vandervere was released from the hospital and is now in custody at the Kenosha County Jail. Mr. Vandervere is expected to have his initial appearance at Kenosha Intake Court located at 927 54th Street, tomorrow Tuesday, April 9th at 1:00 p.m.”
