Court denies Colten Treu’s appeal

CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. (WEAU) -A Wisconsin Court of Appeals rejects a motion filed by the man who hit and killed four people in Nov. 2018 in Lake Hallie.

The State Court of Appeals rejected Colten Treu’s claims he should have been allowed to withdraw his guilty and no contest pleas.

Treu was convicted of hitting and killing three Girl Scouts and one of their mothers while they were cleaning up trash on the side of the road along County Highway P.

In Dec. 2019, Treu pleaded no contest to four counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle and guilty to hit and run causing bodily harm. In March 2020, he was sentenced to 54 years in prison. In his appeal, Treu says when he made a plea he did not know it would waive his right to challenge venue on appeal. Treu tried to have his trial moved out of Chippewa County, but that motion was denied.

He says his attorneys provided ineffective assistance by failing to explain the rule to him.

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