One dead, five hurt after crash on I-39 near DeForest
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Deadly wrong-way crash, then another crash into DeForest squad car. Two arrested for OWIs.
A wrong-way driver crashes into another car on a DeForest highway early July 20, killing one person. A second driver crashed into a squad car while police investigated the first crash. Both drivers were arrested on suspicion of OWI. Five people were injured in the two crashes, including one with life-threatening injuries who was taken to a hospital by helicopter. Nearly 15 emergency response agencies responded to the crashes.
Both drivers were arrested on suspicion of OWI. Five people were injured in the two crashes, including one with life-threatening injuries who was taken to a hospital by helicopter.
State troopers responded to a report of a head-on crash at 12:03 a.m. July 20 along I-39. A driver in a Chevrolet Suburban was suspected of traveling the wrong way and striking a Volkswagen Tiguan.
The Chevrolet was fully engulfed in fire. The 30-year-old female driver from Portage was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and placed under arrest on suspicion of driving while under the influence of alcohol.
An 18-year-old female passenger in the Volkswagen was pronounced dead at the scene, and the 19-year-old male driver was flown via UW Medflight with life-threatening injuries. Both were from Minnesota.
While police were investigating and reconstructing the scene, a second crash occurred. A driver in an Acura TL crossed the yellow line and crashed into a DeForest Police squad car, which was fully lit with emergency lights and parked on the shoulder. No one was in the squad car at the time.
The Acura’s driver, a 23-year-old McFarland man, was also arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. He and a 23-year-old female passenger from Oconomowoc were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police are not releasing the names of the victims until their families are notified. Nearly 15 emergency response agencies responded to the crashes.
Contact Hope Karnopp at HKarnopp@gannett.com or on X at @hopekarnopp.
One dead, five hurt after crash on I-39 near DeForest
One person is dead and five are hurt after a crash on I-39 early Sunday morning. Officials say an SUV they believe was traveling the wrong way, southbound in the northbound lanes, hit another vehicle and became fully engulfed in flames. The driver of the SUV was also taken to the hospital with injuries and was arrested for Operating While Impaired (OWI)
Wisconsin State Patrol responded to a report of a possible head on crash with injuries, entrapment and a fire just after midnight on Sunday.
Officials say an SUV they believe was traveling the wrong way, southbound in the northbound lanes, hit another vehicle and became fully engulfed in flames.
The passenger of the compact SUV that was hit was pronounced dead at the scene and the driver was transported by UW MedFlight with injuries.
The driver of the SUV was also taken to the hospital with injuries and was arrested for Operating While Impaired (OWI).
State Patrol says a reconstruction of the deadly crash was conducted and during the investigation, a secondary crash happened on the southbound side of the interstate. Officials say a sedan hit a DeForest Police squad car in the left shoulder.
The unoccupied squad car was fully lit with emergency lights and parked, according to State Patrol.
Both people in the sedan were transported with injuries. As a result of the investigation, the driver was also arrested for OWI.
Officials say all names are being withheld as family is notified.
Assisting agencies included Dane County Sheriff’s Office, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Deforest Police Department, Lodi Police Department, Poynette Police Department, Sun Prairie Police Department, UW Madison Police Department, Waunakee Police Department, Arlington Fire Department, Deforest Fire and EMS, UW Medflight, Dane County Medical Examiner, Dane and Columbia County Highways.
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