On Monday, March 23, 2026, at about 11:46 p.m., Oconto County Sheriff’s Office officers responded to a hit-and-run incident on southbound US Highway 41 near the intersection with County Highway A in the Town of Little River, Oconto County, Wisconsin. This northern Wisconsin county’s rural highway segment is made up of dispersed dwellings with little nighttime illumination and wide countryside.
Deputies located 20-year-old Riley King of Oconto lying in the roadway suffering from severe injuries consistent with being struck by a vehicle. Emergency responders provided aid at the scene but Riley King was pronounced dead from his injuries. The vehicle that struck him fled the area leaving the scene unsecured until investigators arrived.
The Oconto County Sheriff’s Office has classified the incident as a hit-and-run fatality and is actively investigating the circumstances on US Highway 41 at County Highway A. No description of the suspect vehicle or driver has been released as detectives review physical evidence from the roadway and seek additional witness accounts from the Town of Little River area.
The crash occurred during evening hours when traffic on this section of the highway is typically light but the impact left Riley King in the northbound lanes prompting a full closure of the roadway for several hours during the response and evidence collection.
Riley King was a 20-year-old resident of Oconto who had been looking forward to celebrating his 21st birthday in the coming weeks. Family and friends remembered him as a young man full of life with a bright future ahead. His sudden death in the hit-and-run on US Highway 41 has left his loved ones in profound grief as they process the loss of someone who was deeply cherished in the Oconto community and surrounding areas of Oconto County.
The family of Riley King has expressed their heartbreak through public statements noting the unimaginable pain of losing him in such a sudden and preventable manner. They have asked for privacy while grieving and have cooperated fully with investigators from the Oconto County Sheriff’s Office. Community members in Oconto and the Town of Little River have begun offering support through shared memories and calls for justice as they reflect on the tragedy that unfolded on the rural highway at County Highway A.
Oconto County residents have rallied in mourning with tributes highlighting Riley King’s positive presence in the area and the shock of the hit-and-run on US Highway 41 at County Highway A. The incident has drawn attention to road safety concerns on this stretch of highway in the Town of Little River where such accidents are rare but carry severe consequences. Local authorities have urged drivers to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity related to the fleeing vehicle.
The case remains open with no arrests made as deputies work to identify the vehicle and driver responsible for the fatal crash that claimed Riley King’s life in the Town of Little River Oconto County Wisconsin. The family and community hold onto memories of the young man whose life ended far too soon on that rural highway stretch.
