Carter Perteete entered guilty pleas to homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle and injury by use of a vehicle. Six additional charges were dismissed but read in during the plea hearing, meaning the court may consider them at sentencing. Trial dates that had been scheduled were canceled, and a sentencing hearing was set for Feb. 18, 2027.

The crash was reported around 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, at the intersection of S. Emerald Grove Road and E. Larsen Road in the Town of Bradford, a rural community in Rock County.

According to a criminal complaint, five people were in the car at the time. Perteete, who was driving, was 17 years old at the time of the crash. A 15-year-old boy died, and three other teens suffered serious injuries.

A sheriff's deputy identified speed, Perteete's unfamiliarity with the area and THC use as contributing factors in the crash.

Perteete initially pleaded not guilty in late November 2025 before changing his plea this week. The case has moved through the Rock County court system for roughly a year.

The guilty pleas resolve the criminal case ahead of sentencing, though the February hearing will determine the length of any prison term. Under Wisconsin law, homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle is a felony that carries significant prison exposure.

The crash drew attention to rural road safety and the risks of impaired and inexperienced driving in Rock County. The identities of the victims have not been released in the court records reviewed for this report.