In the quiet, rural expanse of Taylor County, Wisconsin, a tragic accident claimed the life of a young man in the early hours of Sunday, June 1, 2025, leaving a community in mourning. Eric James Doberstein, a 28-year-old resident of Withee, was killed in a single-vehicle crash that unfolded on Gibson Drive in the Town of Little Black, just south of Medford. The incident, marked by its sudden and devastating outcome, has prompted an ongoing investigation by the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, with preliminary findings pointing to speed and alcohol as contributing factors. For a small, tight-knit community, the loss of Doberstein is a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the dangers that can accompany a moment’s misjudgment.
The tragedy began to unfold shortly after 6:15 a.m., when a 911 call alerted the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office to a dire situation on Gibson Drive, north of Stetson Avenue. Emergency responders, including deputies, Medford EMS, Stetsonville First Responders, and the Stetsonville Fire Department, rushed to the scene. What they encountered was a scene of destruction: a black Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck, overturned and heavily damaged, resting in a ditch on the east side of the road. Nearby, Doberstein was found outside the vehicle, having been ejected during the crash. Despite the rapid response of emergency crews, he was pronounced dead at the scene, his injuries too severe to overcome. No other passengers were in the vehicle, making Doberstein’s death a solitary, heartrending loss.
Investigators have pieced together a preliminary account of the crash, painting a picture of a vehicle moving at high speed before disaster struck. According to the Sheriff’s Office, Doberstein’s truck was traveling northbound on Gibson Drive when it veered off the roadway and into the east ditch. The vehicle then collided with a driveway embankment, a violent impact that launched it airborne. The truck landed in a nearby field, where it rolled over and came to rest on its roof, its frame crumpled from the force of the crash. The sequence of events, while swift, underscores the catastrophic consequences of losing control at high speed, particularly on rural roads where embankments and uneven terrain can amplify the severity of an accident.
The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office has identified speed and alcohol as factors in the crash, though the investigation remains active as authorities seek to understand the full circumstances. Rural roads like Gibson Drive, often narrow and lined with ditches, leave little margin for error, especially when impaired driving or excessive speed is involved. The loss of Doberstein, a young man from a small community, has left a void in Withee, where neighbors and friends are grappling with the suddenness of the tragedy. The Sheriff’s Office has not released additional details about Doberstein’s life or the events leading up to the crash, but the community’s grief is palpable as they mourn a life cut short.
This incident marks yet another somber moment for Taylor County, which has seen other fatal crashes in recent years, including a similar single-vehicle accident in March 2025 that claimed the life of 34-year-old Rudy Rene Mendoza-Carranza in the Town of Medford. As authorities continue their work, the focus remains on piecing together the events of that fateful morning and raising awareness about the dangers of impaired and reckless driving. For now, the memory of Eric James Doberstein lingers in the hearts of those who knew him, a young man whose life ended too soon on a quiet stretch of road in Taylor County. The Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone with information about the crash to come forward as they work to bring closure to this tragic chapter.
