Chelsey Jennings Obituary, Death: Kaukauna man charged in fatal I-41 crash: According to a criminal complaint, a man who admitted to texting while driving on I-41 failed to notice traffic slowing down, resulting in a fatal crash. Bailey Laux, 25, of Kaukauna, was charged with homicide by careless operation of a vehicle in the May 3, 2022 collision that killed Chelsey Jennings, 33. Charges were filed last week, and an arrest warrant has been issued. Laux was booked into Outagamie County Jail on Thursday.He made his first court appearance on Friday, and a $5,000 cash bond was established. He goes to court on October 31 for a preliminary hearing.
According to the criminal complaint, officers were dispatched to I-41 northbound near Richmond Street around 6:25 p.m. for a multiple-vehicle collision. Three cars collided, and one crashed in a ditch. Jennings was retrieved from the truck and pronounced dead three days later.
One driver stated traffic slowed, so he did, as did Jennings behind him, but another vehicle collided with her car.
“The defendant indicated that he was driving northbound on Highway 41 behind the two black automobiles when he noticed vehicles stopping in front of him. The defendant claimed he “locked up” his brakes and tried to stop to prevent the disaster, but when he realised he was about to hit the vehicle in front of him, he tried driving into the first lane to escape the collision. However, the defendant indicated that this did not work and struck one of the black automobiles in front of him,” according to the complaint.
“Sgt Thao then interviewed the defendant in the foyer of the Appleton Police Department. During the interview, the defendant admitted to texting with his girlfriend and taking his eyes off the road, which caused the collision. The defendant’s girlfriend verified that she and the defendant texted after he finished work on Tuesday and drove home. According to the lawsuit, evidence from the girlfriend’s phone shows that the defendant texted her many times at 18:24.
According to data from Laux’s car, he was going at 78 mph at the time of the incident and had not pressed the brakes. Another witness stated that she did not see Laux brake, according to the lawsuit.
“At about 18:24:49, the defendant’s car enters the camera’s view while driving in the right lane of 41 NB. The vehicles driven by JA and the victim are seen slowing significantly as they approach backed-up traffic near the end of the 41 NB on-ramp from N. Richmond St, then travelling at a sluggish speed. The defendant’s vehicle continues to move in the right lane, with no apparent changes in speed or driving behaviour as it approaches the backed-up traffic. According to the complaint, the defendant’s car appears to make initial contact with the victim’s vehicle around 18:25:02
