Semi driver seeks answers for impounded truck and trailer eight months after fatal crash

Eric Hafer says he has been left without income since the June 2025 crash that killed two elderly drivers.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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A truck driver involved in a deadly crash on Highway 164 in Waukesha County last summer says he's been left without income for eight months while his semi-truck remains in a county-run impound lot. Eric Hafer, who has been driving semi-trucks for over 20 years, was not criminally charged in connection with the June 2025 crash that killed two elderly drivers. However, Hafer says the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department has denied his requests for more information about the investigation and has not returned his truck and trailer.

Why it matters

This case highlights the challenges faced by commercial truck drivers when they are involved in fatal accidents, even when they are not found to be criminally responsible. The impounding of Hafer's vehicle has left him and his family without a source of income for nearly a year, raising questions about due process and the rights of commercial drivers in such situations.

The details

According to the report, Hafer was traveling on Highway 164 at Lawnsdale Road when the crash occurred. Hafer said he had a green light and was going the speed limit when an oncoming car turned in front of him. Hafer said he tried to swerve to avoid the car but was unable to stop in time. The two people in the oncoming car, ages 91 and 92, were killed in the crash. Hafer said he gave his information to an officer at the scene and was taken to the hospital, where he submitted to a blood draw. However, Hafer claims he has not been questioned by anyone about the incident and that the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department has denied his requests for more information about the investigation.

  • The crash occurred on June 9, 2025.
  • It has been eight months since the crash.

The players

Eric Hafer

A truck driver who has been driving semi-trucks for over 20 years and owns his own company. He was involved in the fatal crash on Highway 164 in Waukesha County in June 2025, but was not criminally charged.

Waukesha County Sheriff's Department

The law enforcement agency investigating the fatal crash on Highway 164 in Waukesha County in June 2025. They have denied Hafer's requests for more information about the investigation and have not returned his truck and trailer.

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What they’re saying

“I was just got loaded in Waukesha and was on my way home for the day.”

— Eric Hafer (tmj4.com)

“I had a green light coming up to the intersection, you know, doing the speed limit, I was in the right lane. The light had turned yellow.”

— Eric Hafer (tmj4.com)

“I grabbed the air horn so hard I literally ripped the skin off my fingers.”

— Eric Hafer (tmj4.com)

“I was treated like a criminal. I was never questioned by anybody, not by an officer, not by anybody. Still to this day, I have not been questioned of anything that has happened.”

— Eric Hafer (tmj4.com)

“This whole situation is a tragedy for everyone involved. I would like the sheriff's department to wrap up what they're doing.”

— Eric Hafer (tmj4.com)

What’s next

The Waukesha County Sheriff's Department has said the investigation remains 'open', but has not provided any timeline for when Hafer's truck and trailer will be returned to him.

The takeaway

This case highlights the significant hardship that commercial truck drivers can face when they are involved in fatal accidents, even when they are not found to be criminally responsible. The prolonged impounding of Hafer's vehicle has left him and his family without a source of income for nearly a year, underscoring the need for more transparency and due process in such situations.