Victim identified in 29 Pines pond accident

By LeAnn R. Ralph

COLFAX — The 88-year-old woman from Colfax who was inside the Ford F150 pickup truck that ended up submerged in the retention pond at the Eau Claire Travel Center/29 Pines was Vera Benson.

At 3:01 p.m. on Friday, October 27, the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Department received a report of a vehicle submerged in the retention pond at the travel center.

According to the report from the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Department, “Janeen Benson and her mother, Vera Benson, were at the Eau Claire Travel Center at pump #8. Vera was in the passenger seat. Janeen was outside filling the truck with gas. The truck moved forward and continued on into the retention pond with Vera still inside and became submerged. Deputies and fire department responded. Three off duty officers dove in the water, broke the windows and carried Vera to the roof of the vehicle.”

The off-duty officers are identified in the report as Robin R. Steber, 53, of Florence; Nathaniel Joseph Steber, 26, of Manitowoc; and Jeffrey Lamar Jones, 58, of Chippewa Falls.

The report goes on to state, “Fire personnel got everyone out of the water. Vera was taken to Sacred Heart Hospital with minor injuries. Janeen requested Interstate Towing. They along with Big Rig responded and removed the vehicle. Janeen advised she thought she had the vehicle in park and the key off. Upon removal of the vehicle, I inspected it, and I noted the key was off but the vehicle was in drive.”

Suspicious circumstances

A supplemental report is attached to the sheriff department’s report of the accident under the subject line of “supplemental report for suspicious circumstances” and dated October 30.

A deputy with the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Department was contacted by two women identified as the daughters of Vera Benson while he was sitting in his vehicle outside of the sheriff’s department completing paperwork on October 28.

“They advised they were concerned for their mother’s well being. They showed me a picture of an incident which occurred on Friday the 27th of October … in which her mother’s vehicle left from the gas pump at 29 Pines fuel area and ended up in the middle of the pond where their mother was rescued by two bystanders from the submerged truck. The sisters, (Paula Mae Benson, age 62, and Linda Louise Vo, age 58) are concerned that their younger sister, Janeen M. Benson, is taking advantage and may in fact be abusing their 88-year-old mother,” according to the report.

“Both parties were from the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and had come to the Chippewa Falls sheriff’s office in regards to concern they had for their mother’s well being,” the report goes on to say.

“Benson explained that there has been a long standing problem with her other sister (Janeen Benson, age 52) who resides with her mother and is caring for her mother at this time. Paula Benson indicated that her sister, Janeen, has lived in her parents’ residence with no visible means of support for over 20 years in an issue for caring for her then mother and father. Paula’s father died in 2008. Paula stated they came to the sheriff’s department after having an extensive conversation with a social worker at Sacred Heart Hospital, where her mother is currently a patient due to the crash, and the social worker, unknown name, advised them to contact law enforcement in regards to a possible abuse of their mother by their sister. This information to the social worker was obtained only after an initial conversation with both sisters,” according to the report.

“Both Paula and Linda indicated that their sister Janeen is very physical and has been with both parents up until their father’s death in 2008, and they believe she is controlling their mother. Paula and Linda indicated that they have numerous times attempted to have both verbal and also physical contact with their mother and are denied that by their sister Janeen,” the report states.

The report goes on to say, “they attempted to see their mother today in the hospital, but were denied access by another sister who is siding with Janeen. Paula and Linda are concerned that because Janeen does not and has not ever worked that when they do talk with their mother, she indicates that she does not have any money to purchase medications and other issues, and they are wondering where the large sum of money from the sale of the farm has gone to but are not given any access to any of the bank records nor to their mother without Janeen present at the time of any conversation.”

The report indicates the deputy had an “extensive conversation with both parties,” and that “they seem concerned over the welfare of their mother and what is occurring with her. They believe that there is something else going on other than the normal daughter/mother relationship in regard to their sister Janeen and their mother Vera. Although they have no proof of any wrongdoing, they are very concerned with how the crash occurred and also the care that their mother is getting from their sister.”

The deputy’s report notes he told the two women, “they should go and visit their mother at Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire. They stated they were concerned with being turned away and/or having security called on them.”

The deputy goes on to write, “I did advise them that they should not make any type of a scene but request to visit with their mother as they were concerned for her welfare and if they believed this was going to be an issue prior to having contact, they should meet with security from Sacred Heart Hospital and also with the nurses’ station and explain their concerns for the welfare of their mother.”

The two women told the deputy they were concerned that their sister would retaliate against their mother because they were making their concerns known, according to the report.

“I did explain to them that the nursing staff, along with their mother’s doctor, should be made aware of the concerns that they have so that they can watch for any issues which would come up proving or disproving their concerns. Based on the information given to me, there is nothing to make a definitive statement of either elder abuse or not in regards to this. I did advise both parties to try and see their mother and have a non-confrontational contact with her and also their sister to avoid any possible retaliation,” according to the report.

“Paula did explain that she only found out about her mother being in the hospital by a Facebook posting from another relative wishing her (Vera) well during her hospital stay. Both Paula and Linda indicated this is commonplace for their sister not to involve them in any of the issues dealing with their mother, and they believe they are being shielded away from their mother to avoid any information being found out about the concerns they have,” according to the report.

“At this time, there is no other information. My card along with the case number for both cases was given to both sisters, and they will recontact if they have any additional concerns,” the report states.