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U.S. 12 reopens after fatal crash cleared

Jeff Richgels and Bill Novak  —  6/15/2008 11:05 am

A horrible situation turned nightmarish Saturday morning with a fatal head-on crash on U.S. 12 near Baraboo that blocked traffic going both directions in the Interstate detour route for traffic heading north and south in the region.  

It took until about mid-day for 12 to be cleared in both directions to it could be re-opened and traffic could resume. But traffic remained slow.

"It's creeping but it's moving," said a Sauk County dispatcher. 

U.S. 12 is the detour for traffic that normally would be heading north and south on Interstate 39/90/94, which is closed due to flooding. The detour stretches from where the Beltline starts in Madison at Exit 142 off I-39/90/94 to where 12 hooks up with I-39/90/94 again at Exit 92 north of Baraboo and just north of the Ho-Chunk Casino.

Authorities continue to advise people to avoid traveling if possible.

The crash involving two semis and a minivan happened about 5:50 a.m. 2/10 of a mile south of Skillet Creek Road in the town of Baraboo, the Sauk County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

A northbound semi operated by Mound Kulwinder, 32, of Winnipeg, Canada, collided on a curve with a southbound semi operated by Robert Dyer, 52. Kulwinder's semi then struck a southbound minivan operated by William Veith, 54, of St. Paul, Minn.

Kulwinder and his passenger, Jaspreet Brar, 32, also of Winnipeg, were transported to St. Claire Hospital in Baraboo, where Kulwinder was pronounced dead. Brar suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Dyer was transported to Sauk Prairie Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Veith and his passenger Mile Veith,  17, also of St. Paul, were treated and released at the scene.

Alcohol is not believed to be a factor and all occupants were wearing seat belts. 

The crash remains under investigation by the Sauk County  Sheriff's Office and State Patrol.

I-39/90/94 from Exit 92 near Lake Delton to Highway 151 in Madison was closed in both directions Thursday at about 3:40, according to Dane County Department of Emergency Management.

Southbound traffic was detoured to Highway 12 near Lake Delton, going through Madison and reconnecting with I-90/94 east and southbound.

Northbound traffic from I-90/39 from Janesville and westbound traffic from I-94 from Milwaukee will be detoured westbound on Highway 12 through Madison and Middleton, reconnecting to I-90/94 near Lake Delton. Traffic headed east to Milwaukee can get to I-94 E by heading north on I-90/39.

No traffic will be allowed northbound or westbound on I-90/94 north of the Badger Interchange.

This announcement comes after numerous roadways have been closed across the state.

It's an old saying about living in rural parts of Wisconsin, but unfortunately "you can't get there from here" rings true today, as torrential rains and severe storms have crippled the state's highway network.

The closings range from narrow town roads to multi-lane interstate highways and everything in between.

With the summer vacation season ramping up to warp speed as school districts end their school years, road closings are the last thing motorists want to hear about when heading "up north," but it's a fact of life for this upcoming weekend and probably for days and weeks to come.

Where can't you drive? This list of closed highways is long but by no means all-encompassing.

If you are heading to a specific destination in Wisconsin or other parts of the Midwest affected by flooding in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana or other states, it would be wise to call ahead and find out if your destination is in fact reachable from where you begin.

The biggest headaches are on the interstate system.

As of Saturday morning, I-94 westbound from Milwaukee was being closed at Wisconin 83 at Delafield. The new detour is south on Wisconsin 83 to I-43 to I-39/90 at Beloit. The previous detour has been changed because of flooding concerns on County B.

Also as of Saturday morning, I-39 southbound remains closed from Wisconsin 82 to the I-39/90/94 split, I-39 northbound is open beginning at U.S. 51 in Portage.

Motorists traveling between the Twin Cities and Chicago are advised to use I-94 to Wisconsin 29 to I-43 to I-94.  Motorists wanting to travel to the Northwoods from Chicago should use I-94 to I-43 to Wisconsin 29 to I-39.

As of Friday, interstate closings included I-90/94 eastbound at Wisconsin 82 near the city of Mauston in Juneau County, I-39 southbound at Wisconsin 82 about 20 miles north of Portage in Marquette County, and I-39 northbound at the big split with I-39/90/94 and Wisconsin 78 in Columbia County.

Entrance ramps to eastbound I-90/94 are closed from the Wisconsin 82 entrance near Mauston in Juneau County to the Wisconsin 33 entrance one highway before the I-39/90/94 and Wisconsin 78 interchange.

Entrance ramps to southbound I-39 are closed from the Wisconsin 82 entrance north of Portage to the Wisconsin 33 entrance, which also is one highway before the I-39/90/94 and Wisconsin 78 interchange.

All westbound lanes of I-94 over the Crawfish River in Jefferson County have been closed at mile marker 267 west of Johnson Creek, with traffic being detoured south on Wisconsin 26 to County B to County V to Wisconsin 89 at Lake Mills, then back to I-94.

Other U.S. and state highway road closings include U.S. 41 northbound between Oshkosh in Winnebago County and Fond du Lac in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin 22 in Montello at the Montello River Dam, Wisconsin 44 near Elo Road in Winnebago County, Wisconsin 73 just north of Wisconsin 33 in Columbia County, Wisconsin 11 at Wisconsin 89 in Walworth County, Wisconsin 73 south of Wisconsin 23 in Green Lake County and Wisconsin 44 in Markesan in Green Lake County.

Also: Wisconsin 81 between Platteville and Lancaster in Grant County, Wisconsin 133 in Potosi in Grant County, Wisconsin 133 along the Wisconsin River between Wisconsin 80 and 130 in Iowa County, Wisconsin 130 between Wisconsin 133 and 23 in Iowa County, and Wisconsin 80 between U.S. 18 and the Iowa County/Lafayette County line.

Emergency road information is available by phone at 608-242-3059 with the message line updated every two hours or as necessary.

Road closings are also available online at http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/.

Jeff Richgels and Bill Novak  —  6/15/2008 11:05 am