A 21-year-old man from Horicon was killed early Saturday morning when his vehicle went airborne and slammed into a utility pole in the Town of Addison, bringing down power lines and shutting a stretch of County Highway S for hours. The driver, the sole occupant of the vehicle, was found deceased inside it.
According to the Washington County Sheriff's Office, the crash was reported around 4:20 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of County Highway S and Fork Road. The sheriff's office, under Sergeant Scott Hanson, said the driver was traveling eastbound on County Highway S when the vehicle left the roadway onto the south shoulder, crossed back across the road, became airborne, and struck a utility pole after entering the north shoulder. A caller who reported the crash told dispatchers that power lines were down across the roadway and that it was unclear whether anyone remained inside the vehicle. As reported by CBS 58, the vehicle came to rest with the driver found deceased inside.
Responding deputies determined the vehicle had been involved in a high-speed crash with the pole, and speed is believed to be a contributing factor in the collision, per the sheriff's office. Washington County Sheriff's Office deputies requested assistance from the Hartford Police Department, and the St. Lawrence Fire Department was also dispatched to the scene. The Washington County Sheriff's Office Crash Investigation Unit is investigating the crash, and the Washington County Medical Examiner's Office is also investigating.
Road Closed for Hours as Crews Restore Power
We Energies was notified of the downed lines and worked to replace the damaged pole and wiring, a process that kept County Highway S closed between State Highway 83 and Level Road until early afternoon, the same account notes. The Washington County Highway Department assisted with the closure while utility crews completed repairs.
The sheriff's office maintains a Crash Reconstruction Unit and specialized unmanned aerial systems, including a DJI Mavic 2 Pro drone acquired in 2019, according to Washington County, Wisconsin. The office maintains FAA-trained remote pilots across shifts.
The crash killed the driver and damaged the vehicle and utility pole.
A Corridor With a History of Fatal Crashes
The Town of Addison, where the crash occurred, is a rural civil township of 3,464 residents spread across 36.2 square miles, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Horicon, where the driver lived. The pole struck in Saturday's crash was at County Highway S and Fork Road.
This article provides no further details about a separate crash along the County Highway S corridor in Addison.
County and State Fatality Trends
Crash-fatality statistics are not detailed here.
Speed can be a contributing factor in severe and fatal highway incidents statewide. That backdrop mirrors what investigators say may have played a role in Saturday's crash in Addison. No further details on toxicology, official fault determinations, or charges have been released as the sheriff's office and medical examiner continue their investigation.
