OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — The pretrial hearing for Jason Lindemann, who appeared in court on Monday, for a case involving a boat crash in July 2022, was postponed until August 14.
Lindemann was previously cited for operating a boat while intoxicated when law enforcement say he crashed into a paddle-wheel cruise boat on the Fox River.
He’s facing 21 charges, including failing to render aid and felony reckless endangering safety.
Lindemann's defense attorney said there were some technical issues between the offices of the defense and the Wisconsin Department of Justice, which is prosecuting this case.
The defense attorney said on March 3, they received the first round of discovery, which included a 369-page police report and other supporting documents. But, the attorney said they did not receive media from the DOJ until May 4.
“The discovery/investigation included multiple digital media files, including videos, some of which required additional players in order to open them. These issues were being sorted out,” Gillian Drummond, Director of Communications for the Wisconsin Department of Justice, said in an email.
Drummond said these issues are not uncommon when it comes to digital media.
Lindemann’s attorney also said that neither side received anything from Oshkosh Police or the Oshkosh Fire Department.
The Oshkosh Police Department told NBC 26 that the Winnebago County Sheriff's Department is the primary agency involved in this case. Drummond clarified the reports.
“We knew that OPD and OFD initially responded to the scene, however, because the Sheriff’s Department took over the investigation there was no reason to suspect that other reports existed. The OPD reports obtained merely outline their initial response to the scene,” Drummond said.
The DOJ took over the case from the Winnebago County District Attorney in August 2022.
“Given the complex and high-profile nature of the case and the number of potential victims involved, it was an appropriate case for DOJ to take at the DA's request,” Drummond said.
Lindemann is pleading not guilty.
