A 29-year-old woman died in a Saturday morning crash in the Manitowoc County town of Cooperstown, according to Manitowoc County Sheriff Dan Hartwig.
At about 6:14 a.m. Saturday, deputies were dispatched to the I-43 northbound off-ramp at Highway K within the town of Kossuth for a report of two men physically fighting outside a parked 2006 Honda Accord. Prior to deputies arriving, the men entered the vehicle and continued northbound on I-43. At about 6:23 a.m., deputies and EMS were informed that the vehicle in question was involved in a rollover crash on I-43 south of Schley Road within the town of Cooperstown.
The preliminary investigation indicates 33-year-old Corey Knepp from Republic, Mich., was operating the vehicle when it abruptly entered the east ditch and overturned. A 29-year-old woman, Emily Lapointe from Iron River, Mich., was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene. Manitowoc County Coroner Curtis Green indicated blunt force trauma was a contributing factor to her death. Corey Knepp and his twin brother, Tyler Knepp, also from Republic, Mich., were both transported by ambulance to Aurora BayCare Medical Center in Green Bay for non-life threatening injuries.
Both Corey and Tyler Knepp were arrested for possession of drugs as a repeater, possession of drug paraphernalia as a repeater and disorderly conduct. They had a bail hearing on Monday and each remain in the Manitowoc County Jail on $2,500 cash bail.
The initial physical altercation and the cause of the crash are still under investigation by the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, and Manitowoc County Coroner’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by Maribel First Responders, Maribel Fire Department, Mishicot Ambulance, County Rescue, Manitowoc County Highway Department and PK’s Towing.
