ETTRICK, WI – A roadside death initially believed to be a crash has been confirmed as a fatal shooting, ending in a jury conviction for a Wisconsin man accused of opening fire during a confrontation between drivers. The case centers on the May 15, 2024 killing of 36-year-old Kyle Dahl, whose body was found along a road in Ettrick.
Todd Gieck, 63, was found guilty Wednesday of first-degree reckless homicide, along with charges of discharging a firearm from a vehicle and felony possession of a firearm, all with repeat offender enhancements. Dahl, a husband and father of two, was driving home from his family’s farm when he was shot in the head, according to investigators.
Roadside encounter captured in investigation
Court records show the case shifted direction after an autopsy revealed Dahl had been shot above his right eye, contradicting early assumptions that his death was caused by a crash. Surveillance footage later recovered by investigators showed a red sedan pulling alongside Dahl’s vehicle shortly before his death.
According to a criminal complaint, a witness riding in Gieck’s vehicle told police the defendant appeared agitated before the shooting and described him as being “on edge.” The situation escalated after Dahl’s vehicle passed by slowly, then overtook Gieck again on the road.
The witness told investigators that Gieck turned and said, “Watch this,” before pulling out a firearm and firing into Dahl’s vehicle as the cars traveled side by side. The single shot struck Dahl in the head, killing him.
Arrest and statements under scrutiny
Gieck was arrested on May 30, 2024, following the investigation. Authorities said that during a jail phone call, Gieck described the shooting as an “accidental discharge,” a claim weighed against evidence presented at trial.
Prosecutors argued the act was intentional and reckless, pointing to the sequence of events and the witness account. The jury ultimately returned guilty verdicts on all counts.
Gieck is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 12, where he faces the possibility of decades in prison under Wisconsin law.
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