By Chris Vetter
Leader-Telegram
CHIPPEWA FALLS — The Chippewa Falls Police Department released video footage Wednesday of a Nov. 30 traffic stop that ended in the death of 29-year-old Casey E. Kressin from an apparent asthma attack.
A Chippewa Falls police officer saw a vehicle speeding and failing to stop at a traffic light at Highway 124 and Woodward Avenue. He pulled the vehicle over at 2:05 a.m. on Highway 29 at Chippewa Crossing Boulevard — three miles from HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chippewa Falls.
In the footage, both the female driver and Kressin, the passenger, immediately get out of the vehicle, as the officer approaches the car. Kressin visibly drops down and sits in the snowbank on the side of the road. The woman began crying immediately as she explained the situation that Kressin was suffering from an asthma attack.
“He can’t breathe,” the woman told the officer. “He’s going to die.”
The woman said she was headed to the hospital and would have made it there if she hadn’t stopped.
The officer asked for both of their names and called for an ambulance. He asked them to relax. It appears that Kressin is still conscious during the discussion.
The woman became more upset, wondering where Kressin’s inhaler went.
“He’s going to die from this,” she said. “Can’t we just bring him? I saw you, and I knew I was speeding, but I need to get him there. This isn’t funny — you need to get someone here.”
Two additional officers also arrived at the scene, then an ambulance arrived at 2:12 a.m. and transported Kressin from the scene.
Kressin became unresponsive and later was pronounced dead at the hospital.
No foul play is suspected.
©2014 the Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wis.)