Wisconsin woman sentenced to 4½ years prison for death of friend who fell off her moving pickup

A northwestern Wisconsin woman has been sentenced to prison for leaving behind a friend who fell to his death from atop her moving pickup truck.

Tara L. Appleton, 33, of Webster was sentenced Monday in Burnett County Circuit Court to 4½ years in prison and given credit for about six months for the time she spent in jail after her arrest.

Appleton pleaded no contest in November in Burnett County Circuit Court to second-degree reckless homicide and hit-and-run involving death in connection with the death of Preston Decorah, 27, of Webster.

Decorah was riding on top of the truck near Hertel, Wis., when he fell and hours later was found unconscious in a driveway about 9:15 a.m. March 30, 2020. He died at Regions Hospital in St. Paul.

Appleton told a sheriff's deputy that she drove with a friend to a party at a home between Siren and Spooner, Wis. She said she and others were drinking at a party and stayed for about three hours before returning toward Siren with Decorah and another friend.

According to the criminal complaint, Appleton said that as she slowed for a stop sign, "Preston must have crawled out the window ... and he got on top of the truck."

She said she resumed driving and saw Decorah slide down the front of the truck and fall to the ground. With help, Appleton got Decorah back in the truck and returned to the party, where he collapsed in the driveway "and was left where he was," alone and dying, the complaint read.