Obilio Sergento Roblero of Gillett pleaded no contest Wednesday in Oconto County court to a single count of hit-and-run involving death in connection with a 2024 crash that killed a retired Green Bay police officer, according to court records. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 8. The plea follows a lengthy investigation and a crowded calendar of pretrial hearings.
Authorities say the crash happened Oct. 25, 2024, at Shawano Line Road and Nelson Road in the town of Gillett, when 60-year-old Thomas Roberts, who witnesses said had stopped to help two UTV riders, was hit while on his ATV, according to NBC 26. Roberts was pronounced dead at the scene after life-saving efforts, and deputies identified Roblero as the SUV driver who ran off on foot. Local authorities launched a multi-day search that led investigators out of state.
Plea, Evidence and the Suspect's Story
According to court documents reviewed by local media, deputies found a can of beer on the SUV's passenger seat and retrieved a cell phone from the vehicle before it was towed, WTAQ reported. The criminal complaint states that after the crash Roblero used a relative's phone to call his wife, saying he had swerved to avoid a deer and then panicked when he realized he had hit a UTV. Roblero was arrested at a hotel in Jacksonville, Arkansas, and, after entering the no-contest plea Wednesday, remains in custody pending extradition to Oconto County for sentencing.
Case History and Court Timeline
Since Roblero's October 2024 arrest, the case has moved through a series of pretrial steps that included competency evaluations and scheduling hearings. Local coverage notes a competency review held in March 2025 and a subsequent finding that allowed proceedings to resume in September 2025, with preliminary hearings and additional court dates ultimately leading to this week's plea, according to Seehafer News. Prosecutors had charged Roblero in Oconto County with one count of hit-and-run resulting in death after the fatal collision.
Remembering the Victim
Thomas Roberts, 60, served with the Green Bay Police Department from 2000 to 2018 and was remembered by colleagues and neighbors after the crash. In responding to Roberts' death, the department noted his commitment to fellow officers and community service, as reported by NBC 26. Local outlets reported that friends and former coworkers described Roberts as devoted to his work and community.
What the Charge Carries
The offense to which Roblero pleaded falls under Wisconsin's duty-upon-striking laws, which require a driver who causes injury or death to stop, identify themselves and render reasonable assistance. Prosecutors are not required to prove the driver knew a person was struck, and violations involving death can be pursued as felonies under Wis. Stat. §346.67, according to the statute text and legal summaries. Sentencing is set for Sept. 8, 2026, in Oconto County, where the judge will be presented with victim-impact statements, any agreed factual basis for the plea and sentencing recommendations before deciding punishment, per local court records and reporting by WTAQ and the statute.
