NEW LONDON, WI – A crash Friday morning closed a portion on Highway 45 near Hortonville.
Four people suffered life-threatening injuries after a 1998 Freightliner hauling an empty trailer was northbound on Highway 45 and collided head on with a southbound 2010 Ford Fusion Highway 45 near TT at Ledge Rock Road along the Waupaca County and Outagamie County line.
“The actual cause of the crash is still yet to be determined but they had a head-on collision,” said Sergeant Jon Pedersen of the Wisconsin State Patrol.
The driver of the semi was not injured.
“Both vehicles ended off the roadway but their was a large amount of debris and spills on the roadway,” Sergeant Pedersen added.
Members of the State Patrol Technical Reconstruction Unit responded to the scene to assist with the investigation.
“When we bring the reconstruction at the scene, we have to shut down the road and because of the fuel on the road, we had to have the highway crew come in with their wrecker crews.”
Pedersen says they are investigating the factors that led to the crash.
“Can I tell you if the weather contributed to this, I can say for sure but at this time it appears that speed and impairment were not a factor in this.”
Highway 45 was closed from Highway 96 to County Road TT for approximately five hours before reopening.
