DRUMMOND, Wis. -- The weekend's freezing temperatures are blamed for killing a Bayfield County woman who apparently became disoriented and died a block from her car.
Bayfield County Sheriff Bob Follis said he believes the bitter cold caused the death of 44-year-old Cathleen Traczyk of Drummond.
Her body was found about 10:30 a.m. Saturday by a Drummond resident.
"A gentleman in Drummond left his residence to go into the backyard to get some firewood and he noticed some tracks in the snow and he went to investigate and out behind his garage he found the body of this lady," Follis said.
Follis said Traczyk had been at Uncle Rynos bar in Drummond until it closed Saturday morning.
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About 2:15 a.m., she was seen leaving the bar. She then went to the home of some friends and left there about 4 a.m. for the short drive home, authorities said.
Follis said her car was found in a ditch in a residential area of Drummond.
It was stuck and it appeared she tried for some time to get the car out, Follis said.
Then, Follis said, it appeared that Traczyk left her car and attempted to make it home on foot.
There was one set of tracks in the snow leaving her car.
Deputies were able to follow her tracks down the road until it appeared she took a shortcut through some neighbors' yards, where she probably became disoriented. She had fallen and crawled for some distance, according to the Sheriff's Department.
Traczyk didn't make it far in the frigid weather. Follis said she was found only about a block from her car.
"We're assuming it was hypothermia; she froze to death, basically. There is no foul play suspected," Follis said.
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With temperatures lower than 20 below early Saturday morning, Follis said Traczyk was not dressed for the weather.
"No hat, no gloves. If she had any jacket at all, it was just a light one. No boots, sneakers," he said.
Follis is waiting on results from a blood sample taken to test for alcohol.
Follis reminded Northland residents to bundle up when temperatures drop below zero.
"When it's 20 below zero, you know you've got to wear a hat and a warm jacket and gloves or mittens. It's always a good idea to wear boots just for such a situation as this when your car becomes stuck in the snow," Follis said.
