Waseca girl dies in Wisconsin crash

Mark Fischenich, The Free Press, Mankato, Minn.
·2 min read

Aug. 6—DURAND, Wisconsin — A 12-year-old Waseca girl was killed and her father and younger brother were critically injured in a crash Friday in western Wisconsin.

Jocelynn J.A. Passon was one of two people who died in the crash west of Durand. The other was Ethan R. Whitwam, 18, of Durand, according to the Pepin County Sheriff's Office.

"On Friday, August 4, 2023, at around 2:40 p.m., the Pepin County Sheriff's Office received several 911 calls reporting a very serious traffic crash in which one vehicle was on fire with several people, including children, trapped inside just east of U.S. Highway 10 and Sylvester Road in northwestern Pepin County," according to Chief Deputy Matt Roesler. "A person passing by who came upon the crash was eventually able to pull the trapped occupants from the vehicle that was on fire. That same passerby, along with three other people passing by, all had some level of medical training and immediately began providing medical aid to the victims of the crash."

While news of the crash was released on Saturday, the names of those involved were not reported until Sunday afternoon.

Jocelynn Passon was a passenger in a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck driven by her father, Steven M. Passon, 40. Her mother, Jessica A. Passon, 36, and her brother Drake M. Passon, 8, were also passengers.

The family was westbound on Highway 10 when Whitwam — driving east in a 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix — crossed into the westbound lanes and struck the Silverado head-on, according to Roesler. Both Jocelynn Passon and Whitwam were pronounced dead at the scene.

Steven and Drake Passon each suffered critical injuries and were transported by helicopter ambulance — Steven to the hospital in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and Drake to a Minneapolis hospital. Their current conditions were unknown as of Sunday afternoon, according to Roesler.

Jessica Passon was treated at the Eau Claire hospital and released.

Pepin County borders the Mississippi River across from Lake City and extends east nearly to Eau Claire.