JEFFERSON COUNTY — A Jefferson County judge sentenced Jeffrey Redecker to 25 years in prison Monday for a crash that killed Watertown father of three Cole Strohbusch last year.
“I feel like the courtroom decided Cole’s life mattered today,” Megan Strohbusch, Cole’s wife, said.
The crash happened Dec. 21, 2025, when Strohbusch, 35, was struck by a pickup truck while crossing East Main Street in Watertown. The driver left the scene, according to the criminal complaint.
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The criminal complaint says officers later found the driver, Redecker, at his home, where he failed field sobriety tests and had a preliminary breath test result of 0.121.
Redecker pleaded guilty in August 2026 to homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle and hit-and-run involving death in connection with the crash.
Strohbusch leaves behind his wife, Megan, and their three young children.
At Monday’s sentencing, family members wore high-visibility clothing similar to the jacket Strohbusch was wearing when he was killed.
Megan asked the judge to impose the maximum sentences on both counts and make them consecutive, arguing the crash and Redecker’s decision to leave the scene represented separate harms.
“Our sentence is every birthday when Cole’s chair is empty, every Christmas without him,” she told the court. “And our sentence has no release date.”
Assistant District Attorney Monica Hall argued Redecker should have known better than to drive after drinking, pointing to a prior OWI conviction about 20 years ago.
She argued that even if Redecker did not remember hitting Strohbusch, a possible alcohol-related blackout did not excuse his decision to drive or his failure to stop.
“This is what we’re trying to prevent,” Hall said, arguing a significant prison sentence could deter others from driving while intoxicated.
Defense attorney John A. Chavez argued Redecker did not know he had hit Strohbusch, citing expert assessments about alcohol-related memory loss.
Chavez asked for a much shorter sentence, citing Redecker’s recovery efforts, family support, and lack of recent driving violations.
“There is no excuse for what happened that evening, none. And Mr. Redecker is not offering any excuse,” Chavez said.
Redecker’s family members asked the judge to consider his character and his support for relatives and the community, while acknowledging the seriousness of the loss.
Redecker also addressed Strohbusch’s family, saying, “I am deeply, truly ashamed and remorseful for my actions.”
Judge Bennett J. Brantmeier recognized Redecker’s participation in recovery programs, his family support, and his guilty pleas, which avoided a trial.
But he also weighed the seriousness of the offenses, the lasting impact on Strohbusch’s family, and the need to protect the public and deter others.
“I know that the sentence imposed will not bring the victim back, but the sentence still matters. The accountability matters,” Brantmeier said.
Brantmeier said the death was preventable and explained that the consecutive sentences were necessary to reflect the gravity of the offenses and serve as a general deterrent.
The judge sentenced Redecker to 35 years for homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, including 20 years in prison and 15 years of extended supervision. For hit-and-run involving death, Redecker received 15 years, including five years in prison and 10 years of extended supervision.
The combined sentence is 25 years of initial confinement followed by 25 years of extended supervision.
“Cole does not get a second chance. My children do not get a second chance to grow up with their dad. I do not get a second chance to live the future my husband and I planned together,” Megan said.
“This doesn’t bring him back, but this is what we were hoping and pushing for.”
This story was reported on-air by Kaylee Staral and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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