by County Sheriff Jim Kowalczyk

On April 4th 2021 the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Department responded to a vehicle in the ditch that was on fire near the intersection of CTH SS and 200th Ave in the Township of Bloomer. Upon arrival, Deputies located a Buick LeSabre in the ditch that was fully engulfed. With the aid of the Fire Department the vehicle was distinguished. Upon further investigation a body was found in the drivers seat, severely burnt.

The registration on the vehicle listed to John J Boncimino, age 59 of Weyerhauser, later identified as the driver.

The initial investigation showed evidence that the vehicle was east bound on 200th Ave just west of CTH SS, the vehicle entered the south ditch and struck a line fence. The vehicle came to rest in a swampy terrain, witnesses told our Deputies that the engine was running at a very high rate of RPM’s for some time prior to the fire being extinguished, (which may have contributed to the vehicle starting on fire).

The Chippewa County Coroner has ordered a autopsy to determine the official cause of death, possibly the result of a medical condition prior to entering the ditch.