GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Douglas Proehl, the suspect in a fatal drunken driving crash, was denied his request Thursday for another reduction of his bond.
Proehl, 69, faces charges of homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle and operating while intoxicated – causing injury for the Jan. 30 crash at Lombardi Avenue and Holmgren Way in Ashwaubenon. Chloe Bishop, 17, was killed and her father, Danny, was injured. Proehl was allegedly drunk and ran a red light, causing the crash.
Previously, Proehl’s bond was reduced from $500,000 cash to $300,000 cash.
The new request was based his medical condition and treatment needs, but Judge Marc Hammer denied the motion.
While the attorneys are working towards a possible plea deal, an Oct. 5 hearing to review evidentiary issues was scheduled Thursday. No trial date has been set.
According to the criminal complaint:
PROEHL stated that he was with his wife at a restaurant somewhere on Main Street. When PROEHL was asked which restaurant, he started to mumble even worse and seemed to become confused, as if he was searching for an answer. PROEHL was asked if he knew what time he was with his wife and he stated that he did not even know what time it was now. PROEHL stated that the beers that he had were regular tall beers.
Proehl was taken to Ashwaubenon Public Safety garage a few blocks away for the field sobriety tests. Officers detected several signs of intoxication, according to the complaint.
The last test conducted was the One Leg Stand Test. Douglas became more boisterous and said, “I don’t really give a (expletive). Let’s knock off the (expletive). If you feel as though I’m incapable of driving, let’s do it now.” Douglas mentioned that he wanted to talk to a lawyer and refused to complete the One Leg Stand Test,” the complaint states. He was then arrested.
Proehl had a BAC of .115, according to the criminal complaint. The legal limit is .08.
Proehl had a previous OWI conviction in 1992 in Florida, according to authorities. That’s on top of an unresolved 2022 OWI case in Wisconsin that we have previously reported.
While at the hospital, Proehl again commented on the crash.
“They drove in front of me and I was like you got to be kidding.’ Douglas continued to utter, ‘They didn’t leave me any time at that intersection.’ It should be noted, Douglas’ speech was slow, heavy, and slurred while he was speaking with me. Douglas uttered, ‘I was just coming back from [a business].’ Douglas continued to utter that he just got the truck approximately two months ago. Douglas uttered, ‘I just forgot,’ and then stopped talking briefly before continuing to utter, ‘I just thought I would never be involved in something like this ever.’ I advised Douglas if he wanted to talk further, I could read his Miranda Rights to him. Douglas replied, ‘Just let it go. Whatever happens, happens’,” the complaint states.
An officer described the crash, as captured on a surveillance camera from a nearby business.
“The video shows that (Bishop)’s vehicle was in the left turn only lane on the westbound side of the intersection waiting for traffic to clear, with a green light for east and westbound traffic on Lombardi Avenue. The light changes to yellow and vehicles are slowing down and stopping in both east and westbound lanes. (Bishop)’S vehicle was in the intersection waiting to complete his turn and PROEHL’s truck is seen in lane one of the eastbound lanes, traveling at a noticeably higher rate of speed, approaching the intersection and is approximately two car lengths behind the intersection median curb end, when the light turns red. PROEHL’s truck was approximately two car lengths prior to entering the intersection when the light turned red and did not show brake lights until just prior to striking (Bishop) ‘s vehicle. It would have been difficult for (Bishop) to see PROEHL’s truck approaching since there was a vehicle in the eastbound left turn only lane, which would have been directly in front and slightly to the left of (Bishop), blocking that field of (Bishop) ‘s vision.”
A witness also described Proehl as going through the red light, the complaint states.
Danny Bishop suffered multiple broken ribs in the crash. He offered this account of the crash.
“(Bishop) advised the light was ‘stale’ yellow, so he attempted to turn to clear the intersection before it turned red when he observed a large black truck traveling at a high rate of speed eastbound on Lombardi Avenue approaching the intersection in his direction. (Bishop) stated he could not estimate how fast the truck was going. (Bishop) advised he attempted to accelerate quickly but was struck by the truck on the passenger side of the vehicle. I asked (Bishop) if he could hear any brakes squealing or anything else before the crash. (Bishop) stated he could not recall hearing anything before the crash,” the complaint states.
Bishop told police he had not been drinking, but smoked marijuana the previous day. He did not appear to be under the influence to the officer, according to the complaint.
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