PdC native dies, Madison police request reckless homicide charges
Brandon Ballweg
Kirk U’Ren and Jenni Steiner, husband and wife from Cottage Grove, both died as the result of a horrific crash in Madison Feb. 12. Jenni is a Prairie du Chien native and Kirk was from Mineral Point. (Photo from Baker Tilly)
By Correne Martin
Prairie du Chien native Jenni Steiner, 34, died Saturday, Feb. 25, as a result of severe head and brain injuries sustained in the car crash that also killed her husband, Feb. 12, in Madison. The Madison Police Department has requested reckless homicide charges be filed against Brandon Ballweg, 25, Stoughton, in relation to the fatal crash.
The police department is recommending the Dane County District Attorney’s Office charge Ballweg with two counts of second degree reckless homicide, three counts of second degree recklessly endangering safety and reckless driving causing injury. Another woman from Madison and a couple from Pewaukee were also impacted by the crash.
Two weeks after the fatal collision, the Madison Police Department finally released Ballweg’s name, which they had held previously because he hadn’t been charged, according to Public Information Officer Joel Despain. He said they were monitoring Jenni’s condition before making the determination on the charges.
Jenni, the daughter of Russ and Mary Steiner, of Prairie du Chien, and her husband, Kirk U’Ren, 37, were Cottage Grove residents, who’ve left behind 14-month-old twin boys, Kaden and Grayson, according to reports. The couple’s sons were not in the vehicle at the time of the accident and are currently in the care of family. They continue to attend day care at Kids Safari Learning Center tuition free.
A Madison Police Department traffic investigator said speed appears to have been a factor in the crash that killed Kirk and Jenni. The suspect in the case reportedly lost control of his car while traveling east on Highway 30 at North Fair Oaks Avenue in Madison. Witnesses said it went into a ditch, then went airborne as it entered westbound lanes of traffic. The car landed on an SUV, driven by Kirk U’Ren, who died at the scene. Jenni was hospitalized and in critical condition until she passed away, according to Despain.
The impact of the collision caused the U’Ren SUV to collide with two other vehicles, from which the three others escaped with minor injuries.
Ballweg was initially hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries. His previous record includes convictions for possessing an illegally obtained prescription and resisting or obstructing an officer, as well as battery and false imprisonment in Grant County. All cases occurred in 2012.
In the two weeks since the crash, over $180,000 has been raised for Kirk’s and Jenni’s families by more than 1,600 donors, including NFL star J.J. Watt, via the Internet crowdfunding pages You Caring, Go Fund Me and Sign Up Genius. The communities of Prairie du Chien and Mineral Point, Kirk’s hometown, have raised thousands in the couple’s honor as well.
Kirk and Jenni were both organ donors, according to Madison news reports, and their donations will help more than 100 people.
“Jenni and Kirk were gracious in life and now in death. Both donating their human vessels to others in need, saving and bettering hundreds of lives. May we all live by their example of graciousness,” states a post made by Leighanne Dockerty on the Go Fund Me webpage.
A quote on the You Caring page says, “Jenni and Kirk touched so many people in their time with us. They will both be forever missed by many. Their greatest and most inspiring love was their twin boys.”
Anyone interested in continuing to support the family and the children at this time may contribute montarily at https://www.youcaring.com/theurenfamily-758663 or www.gofundme.com/U-RenFamilySupport.
