Executive Summary
- A fatal crash occurred Wednesday afternoon on I-41 southbound in the Town of Wayne.
- The collision involved a sedan and a Dodge County Highway Department truck towing a trailer.
- The driver of the sedan was pronounced dead at the scene; county workers were uninjured.
- Investigators report the truck had emergency lights activated and was slowing for a turnaround when struck.
- Traffic on I-41 was diverted for three hours to allow for crash reconstruction.
WAYNE, Wis. — A motorist died Wednesday afternoon following a two-vehicle collision on Interstate 41 involving a sedan and a Dodge County Highway Department truck, according to reports from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities received multiple emergency calls at approximately 12:08 p.m. regarding a serious crash south of Highway 28 in the Town of Wayne. Dispatchers were informed that the driver of a sedan was trapped inside the vehicle and appeared unresponsive. Upon arrival, first responders determined that the driver, who was the sole occupant of the sedan, was deceased at the scene. The occupants of the Dodge County Highway Department truck were uninjured.
According to the initial investigation and witness statements collected by law enforcement, the highway department truck was traveling southbound in the inside lane with its work lights activated. The truck was towing a trailer and was in the process of slowing down to utilize an "Official Vehicles Only" median turnaround. Investigators state that the sedan, which was following the truck, struck the rear of the trailer before colliding with the guardrail on the shoulder.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Team responded to the site to document the scene. As a result of the investigation and cleanup efforts, southbound traffic on I-41 was closed from Highway 28 to County Road D for approximately three hours. Assisting agencies included the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Allenton Fire and EMS, Theresa Fire, Mayville EMS, and the Washington County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Investigative Outlook
The ongoing investigation by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office will likely focus on vehicle dynamics and driver reaction times leading up to the collision. Accidents involving highway maintenance vehicles slowing for median turnarounds often necessitate a specific review of visibility factors and following distances. While initial findings note that the county truck’s warning lights were active, the final reconstruction report will aim to determine the precise sequence of events that prevented the sedan from safely decelerating.
