By Jennifer Eisenbart

Editor

Right now, there seem to be as many questions as answers following a New Year’s Eve crash at Highway 50 and 392nd Avenue.

While the exact cause of the accident remains unknown, the effect became clear in the last week. Burlington High School junior Samantha Russell lost her life in the two-vehicle crash Dec. 31, and her passenger, 12-year-old Kayla Brown, remains in critical condition at Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa.

Russell, driving a full-sized pickup truck, appeared to be going northbound on 392nd Avenue at about 1:30 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, according to the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department press release.

Whether Russell was intending to continue on 392nd or turn west onto Highway 50 remains unclear. However, an Illinois driver collided with Russell’s vehicle, ejecting both Russell and Brown.

Now, several communities are left to pick up the pieces.

 

The scene

Christine Lupella and her husband, Tedd, were on their way home from Lake Geneva on New Year’s Eve and were among the first on the scene.

“We were turning onto 392nd after traveling east on Highway 50,” she explained. “As we came up to the intersection, we saw a truck on its side, with smoke coming out.

“One of its wheels was still spinning,” she added. “We figured it had just happened.”

She said she called 911, and her husband, Tedd, went out to check on the crash victims.

“Both girls were in really bad shape,” Tedd said, adding that he knew immediately that the situation was serious. Brown had been thrown clear of the vehicle, but Russell was pinned underneath it.

Rescue personnel from the surrounding area – including Twin Lakes and Salem – responded to the call. Flight for Life was summoned, one helicopter for each of the two girls.

Brown was flown to Froedtert, but Russell suffered fatal injuries. The driver of the minivan, 34-year-old Jennifer Walsh, was transported to Aurora Memorial Hospital of Burlington, following the accident.

Dan Ruth, the Public Information Officer for the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department, confirmed Sunday that Brown remained in “very critical” condition at Froedtert.

“She’s surrounded by her family and friends,” Ruth said.

 

“A social butterfly”

Russell was mourned by friends and family following her death, remembered as a social, likable young woman with a sincere interest in others.

A resident of Slades Corners, Russell grew up and worked on her family’s farm. She enjoyed trucks, and “mudding in the field,” according to her mother, Heather Applebee.

Applebee also confirmed her daughter was a “social butterfly.”

“She liked hanging out with her friends,” Applebee said. “She supported all of her friends, and was very uplifting.

“We could never get any serious pictures. She was always making faces, or funning around,” she added.

Jodi Peterson, who was in charge of the advisory group that Russell was a member of, jumped at the chance to talk about the teenager.

“Samantha Russell carried with her a vibrance that permeated the room whenever she walked in,” said BHS teacher Jodi Peterson, who was Russell’s advisory staff leader. “She was a sincerely cheery and passionate young lady.

“God gives us a lifetime to figure things out, and I think Sammi used her time wisely,” Peterson added. “She had grown into a contagiously enthusiastic young lady.  I cannot get her face out of my head, and I am glad for it.”

Friends took to social media following the accident to express their grief.

“How could something so dark happen to someone so bright?” wrote one friend on Russell’s Facebook page.

Another wrote, “I’m going too really miss your smile, our conversations, hangouts, and everything that we have done together. Keep smiling girl. Make the sun shine more brighter than ever.”

 

Trying to move forward

Burlington High School attempted to deal the best it could with the situation. Emergency counseling was available for staff and students at the school – and for emergency personnel who were on scene at the accident, according to Ruth.

“It was a bad situation,” Ruth said. “It was a tragic situation. Our hearts, as a department, go out to the families of Samantha Russell and Kayla Brown.”

Students organized and held a memorial for Russell Monday after school.

Fundraising pages had also been set up for both families. A youcaring.com page was established for Russell to help families defray burial expenses. Search for “Samantha Russell” to find the page.

Applebee called the support “overwhelming.”

“We are truly blessed between the fire department, church, friends, family,” said Applebee. “I’m just amazed at the support, and how willing people are to give to help us financially.”

A GoFundMe page had also been established for Brown to help family meet the costs of medical treatment and having to take time off to be with her in the hospital.

That page can be found by searching “Kayla Brown” on GoFundme.com, and by clicking on “Funds for Kayla Brown’s Recovery.”

Ruth said the situation is even more tragic as it appears speed and alcohol were not factors.

“At the end of the day, it was a tragic misjudgment by a young driver,” Ruth added. He also said Sheriff David Beth had extended his thoughts and prayers to both families affected by the accident.

Ruth did add one aside.

“As a department, we continue to stress safe driving,” Ruth said, including the use of seatbelts and the importance of leaving enough time to get from one place to another.