9-13-13 plymouth woman bound over for trial in hwy 23 fatal crash

A Plymouth woman charged in connection with a fatal automobile crash on Highway 23 has been bound over for trial.  Probable cause was found at a preliminary hearing Thursday afternoon for 51  year old Laurie Garcia on a charge of homicide by negligient use of  a motor vehicle.  Garcia is accused of causing a crash when she was passing vehicles, causing an oncoming car to take evasive action.   The accident happened about 5:30am on Wednesday, August 14th.  David Matenaer testified that he was westbound on 23 near Seven Hills Road when Garcia tried to pass him and two other vehicles.  Matenaer says he was concerned that Garcia’s car was trying to pass three vehicles, including one towing a boat as they were approaching a curve in the road.  Matenaer estimates Garcia’s car was speeding about 75 miles an hour as she was attempting to pass.  "It seemed like a careless place to pass at the time, " Matenaer told WFDL news outside the courtroom.  "...about halfway through the pass we saw the other car but there wasn't much time because it was right near a curve."  The victim, Kathleen Fee, of Fond du lac went onto the shoulder of the road to avoid a head on collision and then re-entered the road and slid into the westbound lane where she was struck by another vehicle.  Fee was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from her vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene.  Sheriff’s Captain Rick Olig says Garcia was later arrested on Highway 151 near Wonser Road  and initially told officers  she was unaware of the accident she allegedly caused.