PUKWANA, SD – Leonard Alan Kocer, a 64-year-old resident of Wagner, tragically lost his life in a two-vehicle accident on Interstate 90 in Brule County on Wednesday, August 21, 2024. The fatal crash occurred at approximately 11:40 a.m., about a mile south of Pukwana, a small town located around 60 miles west of Mitchell.
According to the South Dakota Department of Public Safety, Kocer was driving his 1997 Ford F-150 westbound when his vehicle was struck from behind by a 2007 Ford Mustang, also traveling westbound. The Mustang, driven by 57-year-old Stephanie Elder of Mitchell, collided with Kocer’s pickup truck, causing him to lose control. The truck veered into the north ditch and overturned, ejecting Kocer from the vehicle as he was not wearing a seatbelt.
Kocer was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Elder’s vehicle also ended up in the north ditch. She has been charged with reckless driving and failure to wear a seatbelt, contributing factors in the fatal accident. Elder, who is a State of South Dakota employee working as a court reporter for the Unified Judicial System, faces a class 2 misdemeanor charge for reckless driving.
The South Dakota Highway Patrol is continuing its investigation into the incident.
The tragic passing of Leonard "Lenny" Kocer has deeply affected his community. The St. John the Baptist parish family expressed their heartfelt sympathies to his family and friends, stating, "Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace!"
Lenny’s funeral mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 27, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Wagner, with inurnment to follow at St. John’s Cemetery in rural Wagner.
Community members and friends have shared their condolences on social media. Barb Peterson wrote, "Prayers to the family," while Peggy Nedved expressed, "Our sympathy to the family!!" Gary Carda added, "Our condolences to the family."
The loss of Leonard Alan Kocer is felt by many, and his memory will be cherished by those who knew him.