July 25, 2022:
Ashland County dispatch received multiple 911 calls around 12:26 p.m. on Friday, July 22, 2022. The calls reported an accident on US Hwy 2/Lakeshore Drive near Turner Road in the City of Ashland. The Ashland Police Department and Ashland Fire Department responded to the crash.
A preliminary investigation shows that the accident occurred when a vehicle driven by Wisconsin State Senator Janet Bewley, age 70 of Mason, Wisconsin, pulled out from Maslowski Beach turning east onto US Hwy 2. Janet's vehicle collided with a vehicle that was westbound on US 2 driven by Alyssa Ortman, age 27 of Clearfield, Pennsylvania. Alyssa's vehicle then spun across the highway where it was struck by an eastbound vehicle driven by Jodi Munson, age 45 of Mason, Wisconsin.
There were no injuries reported to Janet Bewley or Jodi Munson. However, Alyssa Ortman was transported to the hospital where she died due to her injuries. Her five year old daughter was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.
The Ashland County Sheriff’s Department, Bayfield County Sheriff’s Department, Ashland County Highway Department, Bayfield County Highway Department, Wisconsin State Patrol, Ashland Public Works, Bad River First Responders, and Mason Fire Department all assisted with the road closure or the accident scene.
UPDATE - October 19, 2022:
A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed by Brandon Fink, the father of the 5-year old girl, Khaleesi, who died on July 22, 2022 in the car crash. The lawsuit is against Janet Bewley and three insurance companies.
A crash report by the Ashland Police Department states Janet was distracted by her hands-free mobile phone at the time of the crash.
UPDATE - October 26, 2022:
After law enforcement reconstructed the scene and looked at evidence contained in the vehicles, it is reported that Alyssa Ortman was traveling at about 100 MPH at the time of the crash.
(This post was last modified: 10-26-2022, 05:01 PM by My Northern Wisconsin.)
Ashland County dispatch received multiple 911 calls around 12:26 p.m. on Friday, July 22, 2022. The calls reported an accident on US Hwy 2/Lakeshore Drive near Turner Road in the City of Ashland. The Ashland Police Department and Ashland Fire Department responded to the crash.
A preliminary investigation shows that the accident occurred when a vehicle driven by Wisconsin State Senator Janet Bewley, age 70 of Mason, Wisconsin, pulled out from Maslowski Beach turning east onto US Hwy 2. Janet's vehicle collided with a vehicle that was westbound on US 2 driven by Alyssa Ortman, age 27 of Clearfield, Pennsylvania. Alyssa's vehicle then spun across the highway where it was struck by an eastbound vehicle driven by Jodi Munson, age 45 of Mason, Wisconsin.
There were no injuries reported to Janet Bewley or Jodi Munson. However, Alyssa Ortman was transported to the hospital where she died due to her injuries. Her five year old daughter was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.
The Ashland County Sheriff’s Department, Bayfield County Sheriff’s Department, Ashland County Highway Department, Bayfield County Highway Department, Wisconsin State Patrol, Ashland Public Works, Bad River First Responders, and Mason Fire Department all assisted with the road closure or the accident scene.
UPDATE - October 19, 2022:
A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed by Brandon Fink, the father of the 5-year old girl, Khaleesi, who died on July 22, 2022 in the car crash. The lawsuit is against Janet Bewley and three insurance companies.
A crash report by the Ashland Police Department states Janet was distracted by her hands-free mobile phone at the time of the crash.
UPDATE - October 26, 2022:
After law enforcement reconstructed the scene and looked at evidence contained in the vehicles, it is reported that Alyssa Ortman was traveling at about 100 MPH at the time of the crash.