Oconto County crash on May 16 claimed the lives of two drivers, sheriff's office announces
A second man has died as a result of the May 16 crash on U.S. 41 in the town of Little River, the Oconto County Sheriff's Office released May 30.
Previously, the sheriff's office said a 64-year-old Oconto man had been killed when his pickup truck turned south onto the highway from County W and was struck from behind by a car driven by a 39-year-old Denmark man, also heading southbound.
The Oconto man was identified as Michael LaCourt, who died May 16, while the Denmark man was Allen LaViolette, who died May 20.
The sheriff's department's crash report said LaViolette was traveling "at an excessive rate of speed," according to witnesses. After LaCourt attempted to get into the right lane of U.S. 41, LaViolette also veered into the right lane at the same time striking the back of of LaCourt's pickup truck causing it to flip and roll into the median.
Both drivers were ejected from their vehicles. LaCourt was pronounced deceased at the scene, while LaViolette was transported to Aurora Medical Center - BayArea in Marinette then to Aurora BayCare Medical Center in Green Bay. LaViolette's obituary said he eventually ended up at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee.
A celebration of life for Michael 'Chico' LaCourt will be held 2 p.m. May 31 at Irish Greens Golf Club & Restaurant, 2946 Logtown Road, Oconto, according to Gallagher Funeral Home.
A celebration of life for LaViolette, who was born in Oconto Falls, will be determined at a later date, according to his obituary.
'Chico found happiness in the everyday: a cold beer, a good NASCAR race or ball game on TV, and the company of friends in the garage, swapping stories and sharing laughs,' his obituary said. 'His easygoing nature and generous spirit left a lasting impression on all who knew him.'
LaCourt is survived by his wife, Tina LaCourt, his children, Marty LaCourt and Marissa Hogan, and stepchildren, Rachel Janda and Timmy Smith.
"Allen's life was a blessing but his memory will be a treasure knowing he was an organ donor and his legacy will live on in so many others," his obituary said.
LaViolette is survived by his mother, Chris Anderson; sister, Amanda Antonson; brother, Randy LaViolette; and his children, Quentin, Kira and Westin.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Drivers LaCourt, LaViolette died in Oconto County crash on US 41
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
3 hours ago
- Fox News
Florida motorcyclists injured after hitting six-foot alligator on highway
Two motorcyclists were hospitalized over the weekend after striking a six-foot alligator on a Florida highway, according to state Highway Patrol. The bizarre collision took place Saturday around 6:00pm on Interstate 4 in Volusia County, according to WOFL, an Orlando-based FOX affiliate that spoke exclusively with both bikers. 67-year-old Cameron Gilmore, who sustained a broken foot and toes after hitting the alligator, told WFOL that he and 25-year-old Brandi Gross were riding with a larger group when the former noticed a "big blob in the road." "I thought it was a semi-tire that came off the tread or something," Gilmore said. However, the "blob" in question wasn't a tire – it was an alligator that threw him off of his motorcycle after he hit it. "I said, 'Uh, help me, Jesus'," Gilmore told WOFL. "And I, um, just kept flipping. I'm like, when is this going to stop?" He continued. "And then I started sliding, and I'm like, when is this gonna stop? Just sliding and sliding, and then it went off the road into the grass, and, um, couldn't move much." Gross, who was right behind Gilmore, suffered a similar fate. "I just seen something, and like, once I realized what it was, it was just too late," she told the network. "I was like, 'oh crap, you know, like,' and it just, the impact happened. I flipped over, and I just wasn't expecting a gator to be in the middle of the road right there." Gross reportedly sustained a concussion and cracked the bone on the side of her wrist. As for the alligator, the extent of its injuries remains unknown – and the crash is under investigation. Gilmore and Gross, however, remain upbeat despite their injuries. "They're calling me Gator Gilmore instead of Florida man," Gilmore said, before admitting that he is, indeed, "getting called Florida man, too."
Associated Press
5 hours ago
- Associated Press
Motorcyclists strike gator on one of Florida's busiest highways
ORANGE CITY, Fla. (AP) — Two motorcyclists hit a 6-foot alligator in the middle of one of Florida's busiest highways, sending both bikers to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said. A 67-year-old man and 25-year-old woman riding in a group of motorcyclists on Interstate 4 Saturday evening near Orange City, Florida, struck the alligator, Lt. Tara Crescenzi, a spokeswoman for the Florida Highway Patrol, said Monday in an email. The impact caused both motorcyclists to veer off the highway, and the man's motorcycle crashed into a tree. Both riders were taken to a nearby hospital, Crescenzi said. 'I'm blessed, I was protected,' motorcyclist Cameron Gilmore told Orlando television station WKMG. 'I just remember one of my friends swerving, and I'm looking at him swerving, and the gator's like 10 feet in front of me.' Gilmore suffered road rash and some broken bones in a foot. Orange City is about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of Orlando, and the speed limit on that stretch of highway is 60 mph (96.5 kph). Interstate 4 stretches across central Florida from Tampa to Daytona Beach. Florida wildlife officers were called to trap the injured alligator. A spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Monday didn't respond to an inquiry seeking information about the gator's condition. Alligators are found in all of Florida's 67 counties, and the state's population numbers around 1.3 million. Despite those numbers, injuries from alligators are rare, according to the Florida wildlife commission.
Associated Press
5 hours ago
- Associated Press
AP PHOTOS: The U.S. Women's Open
ERIN, Wis. (AP) — The U.S. Women's Open concluded Sunday at Erin Hills in Wisconsin. Maja Stark of Sweden won her first major championship. This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
