On July 5, 2016 at 6:55 p.m. the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and Jackson Rescue were notified of a multi-vehicle crash with injuries on Interstate 41 near County Trunk Highway FD in the township of Polk.
Deputies responded and determined that there were a total of three vehicles involved and multiple persons injured. Responding rescue personnel from the Jackson Fire Department subsequently requested mutual aid for additional ambulances. Rescue Squads from Lifestar, Richfield and Germantown responded to assist.
The investigation revealed that traffic was stopped on I-41 due to the construction in the area. The lead minivan was able to stop in traffic. An SUV was able to stop behind the minivan, but the passenger car, operated by a 28-year-old Washington County woman, was unable stop for the vehicles stopped in traffic.
The passenger car rear-ended the SUV and pushed it into the minivan in front of it. The operator of the SUV, a 44-year-old woman from Milwaukee, sustained minor injuries. There were a total of 7 additional passengers in the SUV ranging from age 2 to 76. They were taken to various hospitals throughout the area to be evaluated for their injuries, none of which appeared to be life threatening. The occupants and operator of the minivan were uninjured.
The southbound lanes of Interstate 41 were closed in the area of the crash for approximately one hour and 20 minutes to facilitate rescue, investigative, and clean-up efforts.
Speed and impairment appear to be factors for the crash, and the accident remains under investigation by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.