Man dies after medical call involving vehicle

WOOD COUNTY – On Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, at approximately 6:10 pm, Portage County Communications Center received a report of a male who was found unconscious near a vehicle on private property in the Town of Carson. The caller stated the unconscious male was lying in a ditch with standing water in it. Portage County Sheriff Office deputies and other emergency personnel were dispatched.
Upon arrival, it was determined a 68-year-old male from the Town of Carson had been driving his vehicle on a private trail/road on private property near the 1400 block of Elm Road North when it became stuck in a ditch. It appeared the male then exited the vehicle and fell into the ditch, where he was later found by a family member. It was unknown how long he had been there prior to being found.
Emergency medical personnel performed medical interventions, but the man was later pronounced dead at the scene. It did not appear there was a collision which would have contributed to the man’s death, which remains under investigation by the Portage County Medical Examiner.
The Portage County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Portage County Ambulance Service, Rudolph Fire Department, Rudolph Rescue, Rudolph Emergency Medical Responders, and the Wisconsin State Patrol.