4 Dead, Several Injured In Chain-Reaction Crashes In Wisconsin

COLUMBIA COUNTY, WI — Four people are dead and several were injured after a series of crashes Friday in Columbia County. The Wisconsin State Patrol said a two-vehicle crash led to two deadlier crashes in the immediate area. Among the dead is a woman from Oconomowoc, a man from Madison, a man from DeForest and an Illinois man.

Two others from Oconomowoc suffered life-threatening injuries, including a 10-year-old, authorities said.

According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, troopers were sent to a stretch of I-39 in Columbia County at just before 4 a.m. Friday for the first of a series of crashes. Officers responded to the area for a rear-end crash involving two semi trucks at I-90/94/39 near Highway 60 near Lodi just before 4 a.m.

At just after 5 a.m., a truck piled into the first crash scene, which resulted in a Columbia County Highway worker being seriously injured, and serious but non-life-threatening injuries to two state troopers. All three people were transported to UW Hospital.

Then, at about 6:45 a.m., as northbound traffic was backing up due to the earlier crashes, a multi-vehicle crash happened along the northbound interstate near Highway K resulting in multiple fatalities and injuries. State Troopers said a semi-tractor traveling at highway speeds created a chain-reaction crash involving at least seven vehicles - two semi-tractor trailers, a dump truck and four passenger vehicles.

Four Dead, Several Injured

According to the Wisconsin State Patrol office, 50-year-old Ross Kopfer of Oconomowoc, and a 10-year-old child traveling with him in the Ford F-150 both suffered life-threatening injuries and were transported to UW Hospital.

Samantha McMullen, a 23-year-old woman from Oconomowoc, was driving her Chevrolet Malibu when she died in the crash.

Authorities said Phillip Bruno, a 55-year-old man from Ingleside, Illinois was behind the wheel of the Kenworth Express Freightliner. He died in the crash, authorities said.

Wisconsin State Patrol officials said Eleanor Heeringa-Owen, a 59-year-old woman from DeForest was driving her Volkswavon Passat when she died in a crash.

Authorities said Joseph Kosinski,72, of Madison, was the driver of a Kia Seltos. Kosinski died in a crash.

Authorities said a 51-year-old man from Cary, Illinois and a 52-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the crash.

Everyone involved in the crash was wearing a seatbelt, authorities said.