Crash claims life of popular area police officer

Twin Lakes Police Lt. Jeffery Kreft, of Spring Prairie, was ‘like a little kid on Christmas’ May 7 when he was promoted to lieutenant in charge of the third shift for the department.

Less than three weeks later, fate would have it that Kreft’s work schedule would put him in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Kreft, 36, had just finished his shift on May 25 and was headed home when a 16-year-old driver in a pickup truck crossed the center line and hit his car nearly head on.

The accident occurred about 6:32 a.m. on Highway 120, about one half-mile from Highway 36 in the Town of Lyons.

Walworth County Sheriff’s deputies responding to the scene said initial investigation shows a 1998 Ford F-150 pick up, operated by the teen driver was traveling southbound on Highway 120 when he crossed the center line.

The pickup hit Kreft’s 1998 Saturn nearly head on, with Kreft suffering critical injuries. He was pronounced dead at 7:12 a.m., according to sheriff’s officials.

The driver of the truck suffered a broken foot and was treated and released. Both drivers were wearing their seatbelts. The roadway was shut down for four hours during the crash investigation.

The investigation remained open this week and will be reviewed by the Walworth County District Attorney’s Office when completed, according to a release from the Walworth County Sheriff’s Department.

Kreft was very well-known in the local law enforcement community. Prior to coming to Twin Lakes in 2007, he had served as a police officer in several communities in Walworth County, including the Village of East Troy, Genoa City and City of Delavan. He also served with the Geneva Lake Boat Patrol.

Kreft started work with the Twin Lakes Police Department in 2007, after five years as a full-time officer with the Genoa City Police Department and a part-time post with the City of Delavan Police Department.

Kreft was one of the TLPD’s firearms instructors and was in charge of the field training program for newly hired police officers.

He had been trained as a drug recognition expert and was a certified Benelli shotgun armorer. Kreft was a member of the department’s Honor Guard and attended the state of Wisconsin’s Evidence Technician School.

He earned an associate’s degree from Gateway Technical College and graduated from the First-Line Supervisory Training in 2009. Most recently he graduated from the prestigious Wisconsin Department of Justice and the International Police Chief Association’s Leadership of Police Organization program.

“Jeff was a very proud person…proud of his law enforcement career, proud of the Twin Lakes Police Department, and very proud of his wife and sons,” Twin Lakes Police Chief Dale Racer said on Monday.

“When he got promoted (May 7) he was so excited, he was like a little kid on Christmas morning and could not wait to lead the department as a lieutenant.”

Racer recalled Kreft as a practical joker, always with a smile on his face. “He was also an avid hunter and fisherman and was passing those hobbies onto his sons.

“Jeff was active within the community, assisting with National Night Out and Shop with a Hero, among other activities as a member of our Honor Guard unit.

“Most of all he was devoted to his wife, Kelly, and their two sons, ages 7 and 5.

“Not only will Jeff be missed by his immediate family but will also be missed by his law enforcement family,” Racer said.

A memorial service was held May 30 at the Brooklife Church, Mukwonago.

A college fund is being established for his children.