MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Four people were killed and seven people were injured in a series of crashes in Columbia County Friday, according to the Wisconsin State Patrol.
The first crash about 3:30 a.m. involved two semis on Interstate 90/94/39 at state Highway 60 near Lodi, the patrol said. Shortly after 5 a.m., a straight truck piled into the first crash scene, injuring two state troopers and a highway worker. The troopers were treated and released, according to authorities. The worker remains hospitalized.
About 6:45 a.m., another multi-vehicle crash happened near county Highway K as traffic moved around the earlier crash scene. Troopers say a semi traveling at highway speeds created a chain-reaction crash involving eight vehicles, including another semi, a dump truck and passenger vehicles.
Dash cam video captures a semi-tractor crashing around 6:45 a.m. on NB I-90/94/39 near Co. K in Columbia Co., resulting in multiple fatalities and injuries. The tractor crashed into traffic that was queuing due to two separate crashes in that area earlier this morning. pic.twitter.com/Zq2Uz0EyyV
— Wisconsin DOT (@WisconsinDOT) June 12, 2020
State Patrol Sgt. Michael Marquardt said during a news conference Friday that investigators would be reviewing witness accounts, vehicle data and video to find out what happened. Some witnesses who are hospitalized might not be able to give statements for some time, he said.
“It could be a matter of days or weeks before we fully understand what happened,” Marquardt said.
Patrol Capt. Jason Zeeh said two witnesses ran up and pulled some people out of a burning vehicle.
The morning crashes prompted the Greenville Fire Department to ask drivers to slow down when driving past stopped emergency vehicles.
