December 1, 2023 – Hartford, WI – Today, Hartford Union High School District Superintendent Jeffrey Walters sent out a letter to parents informing them of the accident that took place on November 30, 2023, and issuing and update on the crash victims.
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Good morning,
I am writing as a follow-up to yesterday’s accident that resulted in two students from Hartford Union High School being injured when struck by a moving vehicle. I am happy to report that both students today are recovering at home, and very much appreciate the support shown to these students and families from the school community.
I want to reiterate the work that has been done to address the challenges of the large volume of pedestrian and vehicular traffic that occurs both before and after school. In recent years, the district has:
• Worked with the City of Hartford and received approval in June 2020 to restrict parking on both Monroe Avenue and Cedar Street adjacent to our campus, creating better visibility for both pedestrians and drivers
• Reduced the student parking fee from $100 to $25, intending to sell out our lots and get as many drivers off the streets as possible
• Relocated the pick-up/drop-off locations, resulting in the parent pick-up/drop-off
moving to the back of the building, taking traffic off the roadway which was creating congestion and more traffic near the four-way intersection
While these measures have been taken, we are committed to working with city leaders to seek other possible solutions.
Again, thank you for your concern for those impacted by yesterday’s event and as always, please know that the safety, security, and welfare of all students and staff is of highest priority.
Take care of yourself and each other!
Sincerely,
Jeffrey A. Walters
Superintendent
Hartford Union High School District
City of Hartford Administrator, Steve Volkert said, “I have requested the accident report of that intersection… Once review the actual investigation from today and the history of that intersection, we will review options that make sense, including high school crossing guards. FYI, crossing guards are nearly always for elementary and, at the very most, middle school students. Every option to increase safety will be reviewed.”
The incident happened Thursday morning at 7 a.m. when two students were struck by a vehicle at the intersection of W. Monroe Avenue and Cedar Street outside Hartford Union High School.
Below is the initial report.
On Thursday, November 30, 2023, at approximately 7:12 a.m., the Hartford Police Department received a report of two female students struck while travelling in a cross walk by a vehicle operated by a male student who was turning left (west) from Cedar Street onto West Monroe Avenue. The male driver remained on scene and is cooperating with the investigation. Following the crash, police officers and Department of Public Works staff directed traffic around the crash scene, while fire and EMS crews rendered medical aid to the females who received injuries from the impact with the vehicle. The females were subsequently transported to Aurora Medical Center for further treatment and evaluation. Their condition is unknown currently.
At that time of day, the intersection of Cedar Street and West Monroe Avenue is busy with both vehicular and pedestrian school related traffic as it is located directly in front of Hartford Union High School. While the crash is currently under investigation, inattentive driving and speed are believed to be contributing factors.
