TOWN OF WINNECONNE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Multiple people were injured in two crashes on U.S. Highway 45, including a Winnebago County Highway Department employee.
Just before 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, dispatch was notified of a crash in the northbound lanes of U.S. Highway 45, just north of State Highway 116 in the town of Winneconne.
Highway department employees were working along the northbound lanes in a marked construction zone that had been reduced to one lane of traffic.
Investigators say a flatbed semi tractor-trailer was traveling in the left northbound lane of U.S. Highway 45 behind a pickup truck, which was also traveling in the left lane. The semi-tractor trailer collided with the pickup truck in a rear-end fashion. The impact pushed the pickup truck into the active construction work zone area, where the pickup truck then collided with a Winnebago County Highway Department employee actively working in the marked construction zone.
The Winnebago County Highway Department employee had serious injuries and was transported via ThedaStar Air Medical. The driver of the pickup truck had minor injuries. The driver of the semi-tractor had no injuries.
This crash closed all northbound lanes for the investigation and traffic was diverted to State Highway 116, which created an area of heavy traffic congestion.
A secondary crash then occurred just after 2 p.m., on State Highway 116 at the U.S. Highway 45 northbound off ramp area. A SUV was exiting U.S. Highway 45 and a motorcycle was traveling eastbound on State Highway 116, where a collision occurred within the intersection.
The driver of the motorcycle was transported with serious injuries. The driver of the SUV had no injuries.
Both of these incidents remain under investigation.
Northbound lanes of U.S. Highway 45 remains closed at State Highway 116.
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