Man dies after crash in park after hours, officials say

Police: 21-year-old was taken to UW Hospital and later died

MADISON, Wis. — A Pleasant Prairie man has died after crashing his vehicle into a tree after Department of Natural Resources Park Rangers talked with him about being in Devil’s Lake State Park after hours, according to a release.

Around 1:30 a.m. Sunday the park rangers talked with Devin W. Bitz, 21, who was in a vehicle parked in the North Shore parking lots, officials said. After talking with Bitz briefly about being there after park hours, Bitz fled in his vehicle into a series of dead-end parking lots.

Police said Bitz turned his vehicle around, started driving head-on toward the park rangers and crashed his vehicle into a tree after nearly hitting the ranger’s vehicle.

Bitz was taken to St. Clare Hospital and later transferred to the University of Wisconsin Hospital, according to the release. He died Sunday night.

Deputies said alcohol and speed were factors in the crash.

The accident is under investigation, officials said.