Paul and Paulette Rewitzer Accident: Hanska Couple Killed in Brown County Crash
The Hanska, Minnesota, community is mourning the sudden loss of Paul and Paulette Rewitzer, a husband and wife who died following a two-vehicle crash near their hometown on August 29, 2026.
Paul Rewitzer, 73, and Paulette Rewitzer, 74, both of Hanska, died unexpectedly after the early-morning collision on Brown County Road 13. Their deaths were confirmed by the Brown County Sheriff’s Office and subsequently announced in an obituary published by the New Ulm Journal.
The couple’s deaths have left family, friends, neighbors and members of the Hanska community grieving the loss of two people whose lives were closely connected to the area.
Brown County Crash
The fatal collision occurred shortly after midnight on Saturday, August 29, on Brown County Road 13, just north of Brown County Road 22 and a few miles north of Hanska.
According to authorities, the crash involved a Chevrolet Silverado and an older-model Oldsmobile. Paul was driving the Oldsmobile, with Paulette traveling as his passenger. Both were found inside the vehicle when deputies arrived and were pronounced dead at the scene.
Emergency crews responded to the scene as investigators began working to determine how the collision occurred.
Paul and Paulette Rewitzer Remembered
Paul and Paulette’s deaths have brought particular sadness to the Hanska community because both victims were longtime residents.
The couple’s official obituary states that they died unexpectedly following the motor vehicle accident. Their funeral service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday, September 10, 2026, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, with Pastor Amy Karlson officiating. Interment will follow at the New Ulm City Cemetery Columbarium.
A visitation is scheduled for 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, September 9, at Minnesota Valley Funeral Home’s South Chapel.
For relatives and friends, the upcoming services will provide an opportunity to gather, remember the couple and support one another through an extraordinarily difficult period.
Investigation Into the Fatal Crash
The Brown County Sheriff’s Office and Minnesota State Patrol continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision.
The driver of the Chevrolet Silverado was identified as 28-year-old Shianne Lee Escobar of Hanska. Authorities say she was transported to New Ulm Medical Center following the crash.
Prosecutors have since filed two counts of criminal vehicular homicide against Escobar. According to the criminal complaint, investigators allege that she had been drinking at a New Ulm bar before the crash. A blood sample was obtained under a search warrant, with the results pending in the latest report.
The allegations remain part of an ongoing criminal case and do not constitute a finding of guilt.
Family and Community Mourn
Paul and Paulette’s deaths have left a profound void for their loved ones and the Hanska community. Their sudden passing in a roadway collision has brought grief to those who knew them and prompted an outpouring of sympathy.
As family and friends prepare to gather for their funeral and visitation, they will have an opportunity to celebrate the lives Paul and Paulette shared together and to remember the years they spent as part of the Hanska community.
The investigation into the Brown County crash remains ongoing, while Paul and Paulette Rewitzer’s family and friends mourn the loss of a beloved Hanska couple whose lives ended together in a tragic roadway collision.