Background: Matthew Brennecke appearing in a Waukesha County courtroom in Wisconsin (WISN/YouTube). Inset: Allan C. Eighmy image courtesy of Pagenkopf Funeral Home.
A tragic incident unfolded for an elderly man in Wisconsin, who had just wrapped up tending to his church’s lawn when an SUV came barreling into him, leaving him cold and deserted on the roadside, according to local authorities.
Court documents from Waukesha County reveal that 50-year-old Matthew Brennecke faces charges of a fatal hit-and-run. The horrific event is alleged to have claimed the life of octogenarian Allan Eighmy in the summer of 2025, as detailed by Law&Crime.
Brennecke, standing before the court and expressing a desire to expedite his sentencing, is scheduled for a plea and sentencing hearing on Monday. This unexpected request left those present in court, including Eighmy’s grieving family, taken aback.
The tragic day, July 14, 2025, found Eighmy diligently working on the church’s lawn along Allen Road and Orchard Circle in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, as reported by NBC’s local affiliate WTMJ. As he completed his task and remained seated on his Kubota tractor, a black Volvo XC90 struck him, setting the stage for the grim turn of events.
The SUV was allegedly driven by Brennecke, and after the collision, the defendant is said to have driven on, smashed his cellphone, and tried to hide the damaged vehicle. Eighmy was left to die on the side of the road, authorities said, and although he was taken to a local hospital, he suffered two strokes and died two days later.
Waukesha County Court Commissioner David Herring said Brennecke’s vehicle had “damage so substantial that there were parts all over the road,” per regional Fox affiliate WITI. “Covering that car with a camouflage tarp, as well as putting branches all over it, to blend in with the scenery and woods,” prosecutor J.J. Crawford added of the defendant’s alleged actions.
Three days after the crash, authorities asked for the public’s help finding Brennecke and the black Volvo. He was apparently arrested that day.
Brennecke apparently admitted to “clipping the tractor” but told investigators he did not stop because he was scared. He faces 25 years in prison when he is sentenced next week.
Eighmy left behind two daughters, siblings, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren, according to his obituary. He “loved to talk to people and had a one-of-a-kind ability to make a connection with everyone he saw. He would often make people laugh with a joke or story that made him memorable to people everywhere he went,” the tribute said.
The post 87-year-old grandfather mowing his church’s lawn hit by SUV driver who then left him to die on the side of the road: Police first appeared on Law & Crime.