Holmen man, who died on Hwy. 53 Wed., identified

Witnesses say he was racing, his son says he wasn’t

A Holmen man has been identified as the driver killed in an accident on Highway 53 Wednesday.

Holmen police say 65-year-old Robert Thiele was alone in the Chevy Roadster that flew off Hwy. 53 near the Hwy. 35 interchange.

The car went through the median, wired guardrail, rolled several times, before slamming into an oncoming vehicle in the northbound lanes.

Police Lt. Erich Zwicker says Thiele’s son does not believe that his father was trying to race against another driver before the accident.

Witnesses had said the roadster and a black car were weaving in and out of traffic before Thiele lost control.

The black car left the scene and has not been found yet. There were minor injuries to people in the vehicle that was struck by Thiele’s car.