New information tonight regarding a car crash that claimed the lives of three people and left another person in serious condition. It happened yesterday afternoon around 4:30PM on County Highway NN just south of State Highway 96 in the town of Morrison.
The New Years Eve wreck that left three dead is a powerful reminder that roads this time of year, especially rural roads, can be safe one moment and then beyond dangerous the next.
County Highway NN was blocked off from traffic for several hours Thursday evening as the Brown County Sheriff's office tried to determine how a northbound car with two De Pere men in their early twenties inside, lost control and ended up in the path of a minivan driven by a Denmark couple.
"You just gotta be that much more careful living in Wisconsin in the winter cause of the road conditions," says Wisconsin State Trooper Lou Judge.
Today the aftermath is apparent at the site of the crash. Remnants of the wreck, including glass and busted plastic, are scattered at the scene. A good amount of fresh salt has also been laid down as well.
"Some of the local roads aren't completely plowed yet. With the snow on the ground the conditions can still change with blowing or melting or refreezing," adds Trooper Judge who has seen firsthand how fast road conditions can change from good to poor.
The two young men from De Pere are said to have died instantly according to the Brown County Sheriff’s office. But it was the action taken by an off duty Brown County Sheriff's Deputy that passed by the scene on Thursday that may very well have saved one of the occupants in the other vehicle's life.
Because after the cars collided, that sheriff's deputy managed to pull the Denmark couple out of their burning vehicle. Both were conscious at the time they were rescued according to authorities. While the man later passed away at the hospital from his injuries, his wife managed to survive.
The 59 year old Denmark woman who survived the crash was airlifted to a local hospital where she's being treated for life threatening injuries.
