Background: News footage of the road in Eau Claire, Wis., where Ann Seidl was killed (WQOW). Inset (left): Addison Bowell (Dunn County Sheriff”s Office). Inset (right): Ann Seidl (Hulke Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services).
In a tragic turn of events, an 18-year-old from Wisconsin named Addison Bowell finds herself entangled in serious legal troubles after admitting to driving under the influence and causing a fatal accident. She now confronts additional charges, including multiple counts of homicide and a hit-and-run, related to the untimely death of 54-year-old Ann Seidl.
The incident took place in the early hours of March 29, 2025, when Bowell, under the influence of alcohol, struck Seidl, a dedicated marathon runner, who was out on her morning jog. The tragic discovery was made by Bowell’s mother, who found Seidl’s body near a mailbox as she was leaving for work and immediately alerted authorities, according to reports from local ABC affiliate WQOW.
Bowell, who was 17 at the time, had returned home inebriated just an hour before the accident, as stated by her mother to the police. Seidl, a mother of three, was known not only for her athletic achievements but also for her vibrant presence in the community.
In discussions with the police, Bowell’s mother expressed her ongoing struggle with her daughter’s alcohol and marijuana use, despite efforts to seek help through counseling and even considering military camp as a possible intervention. During police questioning, Bowell expressed a disinterest in confronting the situation, candidly admitting to having multiple underage drinking citations and expressing a desire to avoid further legal trouble.
Bowell confessed to consuming a significant amount of alcohol before driving and showed little concern for the consequences of her actions, stating she was unaware of what she had hit. A breathalyzer test revealed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.114, and she did not successfully complete several sobriety tests, underscoring the severity of her intoxication.
Bowell told police that “I drank a lot” before getting into her vehicle that morning and that she did not know what she hit and did not care. She blew 0.114 on a preliminary breath test and failed multiple sobriety tests, police said.
Police noted that a search of Bowell’s phone revealed videos that she took of the damage to her car, which she sent to her friends. Her friends asked Bowell what she hit, to which she responded that she hit another car “so hard.”
While in custody at the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, Bowell said that she realized she hit something with her car after hearing a thud. She did not stop to see what she hit and told police she was on her phone at the time and not paying attention to the road.
Bowell asked if someone had died as a result of her actions and they confirmed that Seidl did die. Bowell’s response was, “[W]ho walks on the road at 3 in the morning?… like… bro.” She also asked, “[S]o, am I going to get out or not?”
On Thursday, Bowell pleaded guilty to the three homicide charges, which all cited her intoxication at the time of the incident. She is scheduled to go on trial for the hit-and-run charge in June. WQOW reported that sentencing for the three homicide charges will likely be scheduled after the fourth charge is resolved.
Bowell remains in the Dunn County Jail without bond.
