A 50-year-old Madison man was killed Saturday evening in a single-vehicle crash on a rural Stanton County road, according to Stanton County Sheriff Mike Unger.
Deputies and first responders were called shortly after 6 p.m. to 559th Avenue between 826th and 827th roads, about a mile and a half south of Highway 32.
Investigators determined that Steve Hastreiter of Madison was driving a pickup southbound when the vehicle left the roadway and struck a dirt embankment. Hastreiter, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to Unger, people who had been with Hastreiter earlier in the day went searching for him after he left a residence and failed to return for an extended period.
Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the crash. The roadway was closed while authorities investigated. Madison Fire and Rescue assisted at the scene.
Saturday’s incident marks the first fatal crash in Stanton County in 2025.
