A vehicular homicide charge has been filed against a friend of WBBM-Ch. 2 morning news anchor Randy Salerno in a snowmobiling accident near Eagle River, Wis., Thursday night that killed Salerno, police said.
Scott D. Hirschey, 44, was arrested Friday afternoon on one count of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, according to a statement from the Vilas County Sheriff's Department. Hirschey was injured in the crash and would not appear in court on the charge until he is released from the hospital, authorities said.
The sheriff's office said Salerno, 45, was a snowmobile passenger who died after the vehicle's driver lost control and hit several trees. "Alcohol and speed are believed to be a factor in the crash," the department said in a news release.
According to the Channel 2 Web site, Salerno was on a long-planned winter weekend trip with several old friends. The group flew from Chicago on Thursday in a private plane piloted by one of Salerno's friends. They landed in far northern Wisconsin and checked into a resort in the Eagle River area.
The group was returning from dinner late Thursday night on snowmobiles. After one of them broke down, Salerno and Hirschey, a childhood friend, doubled up on a snowmobile designed for one person, the station reported. They apparently lost the trail and headed across Plum Lake. On the other side of the lake, their snowmobile slid off the trail and struck a tree. Hirschey was thrown from the snowmobile, while Salerno took the full force of the impact, the station said.
Despite attempts to revive him, Salerno was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Hirschey was flown to Marshfield, Wis., where he was in serious but stable condition at St. Joseph's Hospital.
Police said they received a call about the accident shortly after 11:30 p.m.
There have been 10 snowmobiling fatalities—at least eight of which were alcohol-related—since the 2007-08 winter season started, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. In the previous three seasons, there have been an average of 33 snowmobile fatalities each year, more than half of which were alcohol-related.
Wisconsin laws prohibit operating a snowmobile with a blood-alcohol level greater than 0.08 percent. In November, the state enacted a 55 m.p.h. limit for nighttime snowmobiling. More than half of the state's fatalities happen at night. Salerno, a Chicago-area native, served alongside Roseanne Tellez on Channel 2's morning news from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. and the 11 a.m. news, according to the Web site. He began work at the station in September 2004.
"Randy was a talented news anchor and a major reason for our recent morning show success," station President and General Manager Joe Ahern said in a statement. "But it was Randy's sense of humor and quick wit that separated him from the rest. He was a skilled journalist, trusted colleague and dear friend to many in our newsroom—especially to our morning team."
Prior to working at Channel 2, Salerno worked at WGN-Ch. 9 from 1993 to 2004 as anchor of the midday newscast.
On the air Friday morning, former WGN colleagues recalled Salerno as witty, calm in a crisis and always ready to help a colleague despite the competitiveness of the industry.
"He was so laid back," said news anchor Robin Baumgarten. ". . .He was like, 'dude whatever, it will get done.' "
Before anchoring midday at WGN, Salerno was a general assignment reporter and the weekend morning news anchor from 1994 to 1999.
Before working at WGN, he was a reporter and weekend anchor at WNYT-TV in Albany, N.Y. Prior to that, he worked at WMBD-TV and WHOI-TV in Peoria. He began his broadcasting career at WIFR-TV in Rockford as a general assignment reporter.
He won a local Emmy Award for his work on Channel 2's 2004 broadcast of the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.
Salerno received his bachelor's degree in communications from Illinois State University. He lived in Crystal Lake, where he grew up, with his wife, Irene, and their 3 children.
source:By Jason Meisner and David Elsner | Tribune reporters
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