Serious Injuries In Multi-Semi I-94 Crash In Western Wis.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) – A crash involving two semi-trucks and three automobiles brought traffic to a grinding halt in St. Croix County in western Wisconsin Thursday afternoon, authorities say.
The incident happened just after 1 p.m. Thursday on westbound I-94 near the Hudson exit.
WEB EXTRA: Photo Gallery Of Crash Scene
The Wisconsin State Patrol said the crash happened after a flatbed semi, driven by 55-year-old Rickie Bolen, of Ohio, went into a construction zone and ran into three cars.
The woman in the first car hit, 63-year-old Mary Kielpinski, of Eau Claire, Wis., suffered life-threatening injuries. She was airlifted to Regions Hospital.
The other three people involved in the crash included two women from Minnesota and a man from Michigan. None of them suffered any injuries.
I-94 reopened to traffic shortly after 6 p.m., the patrol said.
The St. Croix County Sheriff's Office reported that all lanes of westbound I-94 were closed at Highway 65 because of the crash. Authorities also said two of the three lanes of eastbound I-94 in the area had to be closed to allow for medical personnel to enter the area.
Motorists along westbound I-94 were detoured to Baldwin along Highway 63 south, then over from Highway 29 west onto Highway 35 north.
