Tom Dernlan, a veteran Manitowoc radio host who used the on-air name Tom Craig, is one of the two individuals who passed away in a fatal traffic crash in Wisconsin.
This information comes from WHBY, which stated that Thomas Dernlan of Manitowoc is one of the two individuals who passed away. Another person involved has not been identified. “Dernlan was heard on WOMT-AM in Manitowoc using the on-air name Tom Craig,” WHBY reported. WOMT also verified Dernlan’s passing to WBAY-TV.
The Oconto County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Dispatch Center was informed of a single-vehicle accident on USH 41/141 north of Brown Road in the Town of Little Suamico around 10:08 a.m. on Tuesday, March 19, 2024,” according to the Sheriff's Department stated in a news release shared on its Facebook page.
“Deputies promptly arrived at the accident scene and saw a pickup truck in the median, facing south, and coming to rest against the cable barrier with an unresponsive male driver,” the news release explains.
Here's the important information:
The Fatal Accident Claimed the Lives of 2 Individuals After an Equipment Truck Stopped to Offer Assistance, the Sheriff Says
WMOTTom Dernlan Also Known As Tom Craig.
Two people perished in the fatal crash, as per the Sheriff’s Department.
“A preliminary investigation indicated that a passing motorist halted his equipment truck on the shoulder of the northbound lane to offer help. While deputies and first responders removed the driver and administered life-saving measures, in the same area, a northbound vehicle, a van, collided with the equipment truck parked on the side of the road, causing a secondary crash,” the release states.
“The driver of the pickup truck, a 32-year-old male from Oconto, passed away at the scene. The driver of the van, a 66-year-old male from Manitowoc, died at the scene due to injuries sustained in the crash,” according to the release. “A 73-year-old female from Manitowoc was a passenger in the van and was flown to a hospital in Green Bay for treatment of her injuries.”
The victims have not been publicly identified.
On Facebook, Dernlan filled his page with photos of his family, including his grandkids.
Tom Dernlan Enjoyed a Lengthy Career in Radio at Stations in Mississippi, Ohio & Wisconsin
Facebook (Tom Dernlan)Tom Craig/Tom Dernlan.
As per his biography on the WOMT website, Tom Craig presented from 1 to 5 p.m. on Fridays and also on Saturday mornings. The biography states:
Tom began his radio career in 1977 working at stations in Mississippi, Ohio, and Wisconsin. He has had a well-rounded career and served in many different positions including Program Director, Music Director, Public Service Director, Farm Director, Talk Show Host, News Director, Sports Director, Sports Play-by-Play, and On-Air Personality.
Tom felt the call to go into education in the 1990s and became a middle school teacher of science, math, and social studies, and he also coached boys football and basketball. After 19 years, he retired from teaching and returned to the airwaves reporting news and sports on WCUB. He fills in on the WCUB breakfast club and in the WOMT news department.
Tom is proud and excited to entertain listeners on WOMT. Join him Friday afternoons from 1:00-5:00 and Saturday mornings from 10-noon for your favorite music and contests.
Sheriff Todd Skarban mentioned in the news release that the investigation is ongoing.
“An ongoing inquiry is underway by the Oconto County Sheriff’s Office, the Wisconsin State Patrol, and the Brown County Medical Examiner’s Office. No additional information is being disclosed at this time,” he noted.
“The Oconto County Sheriff’s Office received assistance from the Wisconsin State Patrol, the Brown County Medical Examiner’s Office, Town of Little Suamico Fire Department, Abrams Fire Department, Suamico Fire Department, Pulaski Tri-County Fire Department, Oconto Fire and Rescue Department, NEW Ambulance Service, Eagle III, Oconto County Emergency Management, and the Oconto and Brown County Highway Departments,” the release conveys.
The sheriff expressed sympathy for the families as they cope with the death of a family member.
