Think the La Crosse drownings are a serial killer?

Thing again.

Have trouble understanding how these kids can accidentally end up in the river? Well, here's how it happens (from the La Crosse Tribune):

Early Friday, police found an intoxicated University of Wisconsin-La Crosse student wandering toward the Mississippi River.

“She could have been our first female drowning victim,” Kondracki said.

Ashley Thofthe was staggering at La Crosse and Third streets about 2:20 a.m., headed west and oblivious to the intersection — at least one vehicle had to stop on a green light to avoid hitting her, according to La Crosse police reports.

When police stopped her in a credit union parking lot near the intersection, Thofthe, 21, said she knew where she was and was walking to Ninth Street. Police determined she had gotten off the Safe Ride bus at La Crosse Street but failed to turn onto Ninth Street.

UW La Crosse has one of the most entrenched drinking cultures in the state and a powerful river near the bars. It is fortunate that more drunken college students don't end up in the river when they are plowed at bar time.