Matthew Drinkwine was just 41 years old. He lived in Roberts, Wisconsin. Early Friday morning his life ended in a crash that no one saw coming.
Around 7:09 a.m. he drove his 2018 Kia Sportage east on West Warren Street near South Division Street. The road runs through a quiet residential neighborhood. The speed limit there is 25 miles per hour. His vehicle left the roadway and slammed into a tree.
First responders found him not breathing. They pulled him from the SUV and worked hard to bring him back. Nothing worked. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities later confirmed Drinkwine was not wearing a seatbelt. That detail stood out in the reports. The crash remains under investigation. No other vehicles were involved.
Roberts Rescue, Roberts Fire, United Fire and Rescue and the St. Croix County Medical Examiner all helped at the scene. This death became the fifth traffic fatality in St. Croix County so far in 2026.
Drinkwine grew up and lived in the same small Wisconsin town. Friends and family now face an empty space that opened without warning on an ordinary Friday morning.
The quiet streets of Roberts lost one of their own in a single moment that changed everything for the people who knew him.
Leave a Reply