Driver who hit Scouts ‘huffing,’ officials say

CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. — A western Wisconsin pickup truck driver had been “huffing” chemical vapors shortly before he hit and killed three Girl Scouts and one of their parents as they picked up litter Saturday along a western Wisconsin highway, authorities said Monday.

Colten R. Treu, 21, of Chippewa Falls, appeared in court Monday and remains jailed on at least a dozen charges, including four counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle and four more charges related to him fleeing the scene before he surrendered later Saturday.

Also Monday, authorities released the identities of those killed in the crash about 11:40 a.m. along County Road P near the Hwy. 29 overpass in Lake Hallie, roughly 95 miles east of Minneapolis.

Police identified the victims as Jayna S. Kelley, 9, and Autumn A. Helgeson, 10, both of Lake Hallie; and Haylee J. Hickle, 10, and her mother, Sara Jo Schneider, 32, both from Lafayette. Jayna and Autumn attended Halmstad School, and Hickle attended Southview School, a district spokeswoman said.

A 10-year-old girl remains hospitalized in stable condition. Her identity has yet to be disclosed.

Two girls and the mother were dead at the scene. Two other girls were taken by ground and air ambulances to a hospital, where one of them died later Saturday. The other girl was initially reported to be in critical condition and later listed in stable condition.