MILWAUKEE — Riding down the Oak Leaf Trail along the Milwaukee Lakefront is often the highlight of Ronald Ekker’s day.
Last Wednesday afternoon was no different.
“I was traveling down the hill probably around 25 miles per hour,” said Ekker. “There was absolutely nobody on this sidewalk from as far as you can see.”
Suddenly, everything changed. Ekker said a thin wire coming from a light pole across the trail got caught all the way around his neck.
This all unfolded at 3:00 p.m. on the portion of the trail near the Linnwood Water Treatment Plant.
Ekker didn’t see it coming.
Watch: Bicyclist speaks out after colliding with wire strung across Oak Leaf Trail
“Everything happened so fast, but it felt like slow motion, and it was dragging across my neck, and I was just waiting for it to tighten up and actually take my head off,” said Ekker. “I was expecting to be decapitated.”
He eventually came to a stop on his e-bike, stretching out the full wire from light pole to light pole.
“I looked at my shirt to see if I was soaked in blood or looked in the mirrors on my bicycle, and I saw my neck was all marked up,” said Ekker.
He called 911 and reported the incident.
At first, Ekker thought it might be a kite string because of how thin it was.
After TMJ4 wrapped up its interview with Ekker Thursday afternoon, an investigator with the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office came to speak with Ronald.
The investigator did not answer our question as to how or why the wire was across the trail.
The incident remains under investigation.
Ronald wanted to share his story with us to help others traveling on his favorite route to stay alert and vigilant.
“I wouldn't want anybody to go through it,” said Ekker.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
