A Lincoln County highway worker was struck by a car and killed on Tuesday afternoon. According to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department, the 50-year-old worker was flagging southbound traffic on Highway 17 in the town of Merrill. He was holding a stop sign to prevent southbound traffic from proceeding when he was struck by a car driven by an 84-year-old woman. The collision caused the car to roll several times in a ditch on the east side of Highway 17 before it came to rest in a creek. The highway worker was pronounced dead at Good Samaritan Hospital in Merrill.
One person was killed and another was injured as a result of a Monday afternoon collision in rural Marathon County. Few details are available, but according to the Marathon County Sheriff's Department, the two-vehicle, head-on collision occurred on Highway 13 near Townhall Road in the Town of Brighton. Both drivers were transported to local hospitals to be treated for their injuries. One of the drivers, an 86-year-old Withee woman, died on Monday night.
A Saturday night collision south of Athens killed a pedestrian. According to the Marathon County Sheriff's Department, the car versus pedestrian accident took place on Highway 97 north of Wuertzburg Road, in the Town of Johnson. The pedestrian, a woman in her mid-60's, was pronounced dead at the scene. Portions of Highway 97 were closed for hours on Saturday night. Athens EMS and Fire, the Wisconsin State Patrol, the Marathon County Crash Reconstruction Team and the Medical Examiners' Office also responded to the scene.
One person has died as a result of a Tuesday morning car accident in the Town of Sugar Camp. Few details are available, but according to the Oneida County Sheriff's Department, the two-vehicle collision occurred on Highway 17 and involved a rollover. One of the drivers was killed by crash-related injuries. It is unknown whether others involved suffered injuries. Investigation into the circumstances of the crash is ongoing, and names are being withheld until authorities notify family members.
In current system, voters choose Wisconsin Supreme Court chief justice. A partisan constitutional amendment would change that. The April 7 election will present to Wisconsin voters a proposed constitutional amendment that would change the method of choosing the chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The current method, which has been in place for over 125 years, allows Wisconsin voters to express their preference at the ballot box for the person who will serve as the chief justice. Although there have been attempts to take away the people's right to elect their judges, Wisconsin voters have maintained this right to assure a democratic government in all three branches. Politics plays no role in the selection, as judicial elections have been separated from partisan, state and county elections. The individual with the most seniority who is re-elected by the people of Wisconsin will serve as chief justice during his or her term in office — that is, 10 years. The genius of our current system is that it allows the justice with the most institutional knowledge and experience to carry out the increased responsibilities of the position. The predictability of the current system allows for the chief justice to make tough decisions as the chief administrator of the state courts. The April 7 election ballot will contain a provision that, if it succeeds, will take away the vote from the citizens by changing our constitution. The proposed constitutional amendment would make the position of chief justice subject to a popularity contest between seven sitting justices, who would choose the chief behind closed doors every two years, inserting politics directly into the Supreme Court.
A Sunday morning crash in the town of Mayville killed one person and injured at least three others. According to the Clark County Sheriff's Office, a vehicle traveling northbound on Highway 13 near Center Road spun out on the road and struck a southbound vehicle. The 74-year-old driver of the northbound vehicle was ejected and later pronounced dead at the scene.
On Saturday afternoon, six people were injured as a result of a two-vehicle crash in the Township of Wood. According to the Wood County Sheriff's Department, a vehicle was traveling east on County Highway B, approaching County Highway X, when it failed to yield the right of way from a stop sign and caused a collision with a vehicle traveling north on County Highway X.
One person was killed as a result of a Wednesday morning crash in the town of Wood. The two-vehicle collision occurred on Highway A, between Hilltop and Sunset Road. Details of the crash have not yet been released, as the Wood County Sheriff's Department continues its investigation. One of the drivers was pronounced dead at the scene, and the other was transported by ambulance to Ministry Saint Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield. The deceased driver was an 18-year-old senior at Pittsville High School.
A 56-year-old Wisconsin Rapids woman is dead after a Wednesday afternoon crash on Highway 54 near Plover. Preliminary investigation indicates a school bus traveling west between Monroe Avenue and Coolidge Avenue was stopped, unloading students on the right shoulder of Highway 54. A westbound car came upon the stopped bus and stopped in the left-hand lane. A 25-year-old Wisconsin Rapids man then smashed into the stopped car from behind, sending it into the median.
Early on Sunday evening, Zechariah Hilgart of Park Falls caused a two-vehicle collision on Blue Lake Road in Minocqua near the Bearskin Trial. Hilgart struck a vehicle occupied by Donald Cupp and Sallie Schmidt of Kaukauna. Cupp had to be extricated from his vehicle, and was transported to Howard Young Medical Center to receive medical attention for his injuries. Schmidt was also injured and transported from the scene. The at-fault driver, Hilgart, was injured and the conditions of his two passengers are unknown.