The death of a 33-year-old woman following a car crash in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, has been reclassified as a homicide by the local police. The incident took place at approximately 6:20 p.m. on Tuesday, February 13, 2024.
The Fond du Lac Police Department (FDLPD) responded to the crash site where they discovered Ashley Ann Calo, a 33-year-old mother, unconscious over her vehicle’s steering wheel. Her car had struck a stack of landscaping bricks and came to a halt on top of some shrubs.
Calo’s three-year-old son was discovered unscathed in the vehicle. First responders swiftly removed the young boy from the back seat. Despite immediate medical intervention, Calo succumbed to her injuries at a nearby hospital.
Dawn Smet, who operates The Dog House bar near the accident site, recalled the moments following the crash. “At first, it appeared to be an ordinary accident until we saw someone inside the car. We called 911 immediately. The police and ambulance arrived at the scene without delay,” Smet recounted.
The police investigation uncovered unsettling facts about Calo’s physical state prior to the crash. Jason Smith, a close friend of Calo, revealed to investigators that Calo had sustained several stab wounds, one to her stomach and another to her neck, before the accident. This information led the police to reclassify Calo’s death as a homicide.
According to Smet, the police suggested that Calo’s death might be linked to another incident in the vicinity that occurred around the same time as the crash. An area worker mentioned that police were investigating a pool of blood and a weapon found near a local Anytime Fitness outlet.
In relation to Calo’s death, 20-year-old Annaka Winter Trudell from Fond du Lac, has been arrested and charged with first-degree reckless homicide. Another man, aged 21, also from Fond du Lac, was detained on charges of aiding or harboring a felon.
Calo’s friends and relatives are remembering her for her contagious laughter, affection, and enthusiasm for life. Briana Ilgen, a longtime friend, noted Calo’s ability to bring joy to any room with her smile and humor, highlighting her deep affection for her son.
Another long-standing friend, Derik Golemgeski, spoke of Calo’s lively and humorous nature. “It’s hard to put into words, but her smile and the positive influence she had on people were remarkable. Her absence is deeply felt,” Golemgeski said.
A GoFundMe page has been established to support Calo’s young son and cover funeral costs. The page, organized by her friends Hollyann Zastrow and Kierra Hoover, has collected over $5,000. Zastrow, on the fundraising page, described Calo as an incomparable friend, who valued her son above everything else, and whose smile could brighten the darkest places.
The FDLPD, in a statement issued on Thursday, February 15, thanked the community and their social media followers for their help and support following an FDLPD post requesting assistance on this case. “The sharing of the post was crucial in receiving a tip that led to an arrest,” the police stated, highlighting the importance of community involvement and engagement with the FDLPD.
