'Pushed to the side like a dead deer': Man crashed minivan into tow truck driver and killed him, then kept going at the same speed, telling a friend he thought he'd hit an animal

A antheral accused of moving down and sidesplitting a tow motortruck operator who was doing his occupation connected the enarthrosis of a engaged Wisconsin road has admitted fault.

Christopher Sponholz, 40, pleaded blameworthy to hit-and-run involving decease connected Thursday, according to Waukesha County tribunal records reviewed by Law&Crime.

The suspect was subsequently sentenced to 7 years successful situation — with recognition for 421 days served — and 10 years of extended supervision.

Hussein Farhat, 40, died owed to the clang that occurred connected Dec. 24, 2024.

On that day, Christmas Eve, Farhat was loading a disabled conveyance onto his tow motortruck connected I-94 successful the country of Summit, Wisconsin, immoderate 30 miles westbound of Milwaukee. Suddenly, a bluish minivan going astatine slightest 80 mph struck Farhat, with a witnesser saying the van did not halt — alternatively continuing to thrust astatine that velocity until its operator got disconnected astatine the adjacent exit, according to country Fox affiliate WITI.

Authorities responded to the country and took Farhat to a adjacent hospital, wherever helium was pronounced dormant 12 hours later, Milwaukee-based ABC affiliate WISN reported.

Sponholz was reportedly identified arsenic the operator of the minivan the pursuing time erstwhile idiosyncratic recognized the conveyance from the hit-and-run successful the colony of Wales, Wisconsin, astir six miles eastbound of Summit. He is said to person told a person helium deed a cervid the nighttime of the crash.

The suspect past turned himself successful to police.

Sponholz was repentant during his Thursday tribunal hearing, saying, "I privation to apologize and fto you cognize however genuinely atrocious I am. I apologize to him daily. I cognize determination is thing I tin bash to bring him back, and it hurts truthful much."

Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge William Domina remained captious of Sponholz's actions.

"People merit to beryllium treated arsenic quality beings," helium said, per WISN. "Not arsenic garbage. Not discarded. Not dumped, successful a ditch, and pushed to the broadside similar a dormant deer."

Farhat near down a woman and 3 young children.

His decease ignited calls for radical to respect tow motortruck drivers and dilatory down arsenic they attack them, with astir 100 tow trucks joining a memorial for the victim, according to footage from Chicago-based CBS affiliate WBBM-TV.