Man charged in fatal crash not competent for trial

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The case of a Wisconsin man accused of killing four people while driving drunk last year won’t proceed because a brain injury he suffered in the crash prevents him from assisting in his defense, a judge has ruled.

Dane County Circuit Judge Nicholas McNamara indefinitely suspended the case of 33-year-old Brysen Wills on Friday, after prosecutors and his defense attorney said two doctors concluded he wasn’t competent to stand trial.

Assistant District Attorney Galen Strebe said Wills’ injury has affected his memory. The prosecutor said Wills forgets what he had for breakfast by lunchtime, for example.

Wills was facing several charges, including four counts of homicide by drunken driving.

Wills appeared confused when the judge asked him if he understood what was happening with his case.

“I think so,” he responded. “I don’t think so. I don’t really understand what you said.”

Wills will be re-examined in six months.

Prosecutors say Wills was speeding on a stretch of Interstate 94 in Deerfield on Nov. 2 in his SUV when he collided with two cars. The impact tore the roof off one car and left the other overturned in the median.

Three people in the overturned vehicle were killed: Clenton Hall, Kimberly Radtke and Katey Pasqualini. They worked for a Milwaukee accounting firm and were returning from a networking event at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

The driver in the second vehicle, Patrick Wasielewski, was also killed.

Wills’ blood alcohol level about two hours after the crash was .184, more than twice Wisconsin’s 0.08 limit for driving, authorities said.