The 51-year-old Hayward man who died Tuesday after an apparent sleepwalking episode has been identified as Timothy P. Brueggeman, according to the Sawyer County Sheriff's Department.
Authorities responded to Brueggeman's home Tuesday morning after his son reported him missing. Brueggeman was found dead in an empty lot about 190 feet from his home.
Brueggeman's son said his father had a history of sleepwalking, including one episode last summer where Brueggeman returned home safe. There was a chain on the door to prevent it from happening again, but the chain wasn't attached Tuesday night.
Tim Zeigle, chief deputy of Sawyer County, estimated that Brueggeman had been outside for about six hours Tuesday morning before authorities found him.
Wearing only a T-shirt and briefs, Brueggeman wandered around and lay down in five different spots. He went into his truck, to his house and back to his truck before venturing through the snow.
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Authorities reported that someone was banging on the side of a neighboring home at 6 a.m. Tuesday. They believe it was Brueggeman.
The overnight low temperature in Hayward was28 below zero.
