Man Charged with Driving Under Influence of Marijuana with 3-Year-Old Child in Car After 3-Vehicle Crash

At 12:30 PM on Sunday, September 17, 2017, a crash occurred on US 63 SB at USH 63 at CTH F in POLK County near CLEAR LAKE.

Assisting agencies included Polk County Sheriff’s Department, Clear Lake Fire Department, Clear Lake Ambulance, and Amery Ambulance.

The details of the crash are as follows:

On Sunday, September 17, 2017, at approximately 12:00 pm, a WI State Patrol Trooper responded to a three-vehicle crash on USH 63 at CTH F in Polk County. At the scene, the Trooper determined that the crash was caused by the operator of a Chevrolet Monte Carlo (Unit 1) who failed to yield from a stop sign while traveling eastbound on CTH F at USH 63. The Monte Carlo pulled out in front of, and was struck by, a Cadillac Escalade (Unit 2) which was southbound on USH 63. After the initial impact, the vehicles then struck a Dodge Caravan (Unit 3) which had been stopped in the northbound lane of USH 63 while waiting to turn westbound onto CTH F. The operator of the Monte Carlo, Joseph P. Koehler from Oakdale, MN was charged with possession of marijuana, operating under the influence of marijuana with a child under the age of 16 (3 years of age)in the vehicle, failure to yield right of way, and operating without a valid driver’s license. Koehler was transported to the Amery Hospital due to injuries he sustained in the crash. The other occupants in the vehicles either appeared to be uninjured or were medically cleared.

Unit 1: Passenger Car (2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo)