4 Wisconsin siblings, aged 9 to 25, killed in head-on crash caused by driver who was arrested with open bottle of vodka

MADISON, WISCONSIN: Just a few days before Christmas, a Wisconsin family has been left devastated after a suspected drunk driver, identified as Scott Charles Farmer, allegedly crashed into their family’s vehicle and killed four siblings, as per WLUK.  

The victims were identified to be Daniel Gonzalez, 25, who was the driver, his brother Fabian Gonzalez, 23, and their younger sisters, Lilian Gonzalez, 14, and Daniela Gonzalez, 9, per the Waupaca County Sheriff's Office.

Lilian was a high school freshman who wanted to become a teacher one day, while Daniela was merely a fourth-grader and wanted to become a cheerleader, the victims’ mother Paulina told local WLUK.

Paulina stated that Daniel and Fabian, whose relatives claimed they both loved music, had the same work schedule and frequently spent most of each day together.

The Gonzalez siblings were part of a close-knit family

In the wake of the Gonzalez siblings' tragic demise, a cousin named Luis Gonzalez-Quizhpe told Post Crescent that Paulina moved to Wisconsin from Ecuador because other members of her family lived in the Waupaca-Weyauwega area since 2011.

The siblings' mother was also reportedly seeking more opportunities for her children in America. Gonzalez-Quizhpe also recalled growing up with the Gonzalez siblings. 

"They were all good kids," Gonzalez-Quizhpe said, adding that they were "respectful, hardworking to a T ... loved by all who knew them."

He also shared that Daniel regularly played music with his relatives and had been rehearsing for a New Year's Eve celebration the day before he died in the crash.

Gonzalez-Quizhpe also shared that Fabian was outgoing and adventurous and enjoyed visiting relatives in Ecuador while Lilian loved taking care of animals and her younger cousins.

Meanwhile Daniela, who was nicknamed 'Danielita,' was remembered as a small girl with an outsized personality.

He also recalled that the older brothers "always did everything together" and looked out for their younger sisters, saying, "that's why they were all together that night."

The Gonzalez siblings were 'beyond lifesaving measures' after the crash

According to a criminal complaint obtained by People, the Gonzalez siblings "were beyond lifesaving measures and were pronounced deceased at the scene," the first responding officer Todd G Rasmussen, who is the Waupaca County Captain, noted. 

Shelby Strahl, a driver who stopped along the road immediately after the crash, told WLUK that finding out all the victims were siblings was "heart-wrenching."

"We just wanted to hug everybody and offer our condolences and let them know that we were there holding their hands whether they were helped or not," Strahl continued to say, choking up.

 

Scott Farmer was intoxicated during the accident

According to a criminal complaint, 47-year-old Scott Farmer has been accused of colliding "head-on" with an SUV carrying the four siblings last Saturday, December 16, just after 9 pm.

He was driving his pick-up truck on the wrong side along Highway 10 in Waupaca County. The siblings were returning home and were barely about three miles from their house when the crash happened, according to the Gonzalez family.

Farmer faces four charges of homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle and has remained in custody since Sunday, December 17, 10.23 am, according to the latest Waupaca County jail records. It's unclear whether he has entered a plea or retained an attorney.

The criminal complaint stated that Farmer has four prior convictions for operating a vehicle while inebriated. When Captain Rasmussen went to check on Farmer following the collision, he allegedly discovered an open vodka bottle next to him. Farmer also reportedly told officers that he thought he had "just spun out" and "didn't hit anybody."

“His speech was incoherent at times and his sentences would trail off so I could not understand them,” Captain Rasmussen alleged. He also noted that the accused would not listen to him and even tried to crawl over to the passenger side of the truck at one point. 

Additionally, according to the criminal complaint, Farmer lost his temper and threatened to fight firefighters who were attempting to extricate him from his truck.

Farmer allegedly thought it was February 12 when he was questioned by the police. The lawsuit claims that he also acknowledged drinking "a lot" prior to the collision.

Farmer’s bail was set at $750,000 by a judge despite prosecutor Veronica Isherwood requesting it to be $4 million, counting $1 million for each Gonzalez family member killed in the crash, as per People.