Sheboygan Falls mayor talks about fatal crash that left him injured



SHEBOYGAN FALLS (WITI) -- Sheboygan Falls Mayor Randy Meyer addressed the media on Wednesday, April 24th for the first time since a fatal car crash left him and his wife injured.

The crash occurred on April 7th, near State Highway 32 and County Highway J. Those killed in the crash were 81-year-old Suzanne Jackson and 61-year-old Lew Handley.

Officials say Handley was headed westbound on County Road J with Jackson as a front seat passenger. They were struck by a vehicle headed southbound on State Highway 32, operated by Tammy Meyer, with Randy Meyer in the front seat.

County Road J is controlled by a stop sign at State Highway 32.

On Wednesday, Meyer was joined by his wife and his guide dog Deegan. Meyer lost his sight when he was two. He spoke with the media about the crash that left two dead and he and his wife injured.

"It was just a crunch. The car spun. We jumped the ditch and came to rest. Obviously, I knew I had injuries. I want to extend mine and my wife's deepest sympathies to the families of Suzanne Jackson and Lew Handley," Meyer said.

Meyer was hospitalized for 13 days with broken ribs, a broken finger, severe bruising and the removal of six inches of his small intestine.

"All the blood vessels ripped away from that section of the intestine, so the doctors removed that and reconnected things and since then, day-by-day I've just been getting better," Meyer said.

Meyer has served as Sheboygan Falls' mayor since 2004. He says he kept tabs on city business from his hospital bed and has returned to work.

Meyer is known as the "Mayor of Motivation" for his work as a motivational speaker -- and was on his way back from a speech at  Howards Grove High School on the night of the crash.  He says his experience will eventually become part of his presentation -- adding that he plans to resume that work within the next several weeks, with a better understanding of the brevity of life.

"My definition of a goal is when dreams and reality collide. Maybe I have to start pushing a little harder to accomplish some of my goals. That's one thing I am taking away from this," Meyer said.

The Wisconsin State Patrol has been brought in to conduct a crash reconstruction as the investigation into the cause of that crash continues.