Minnesota driver, passenger killed in first of two crashes at same spot on I-94 in Wisconsin

A Minnesota driver and her passenger were killed in the first of two crashes within hours at the same location on a western Wisconsin interstate, where a state trooper also was injured, officials said.

The wrecks occurred about three hours apart Monday night on westbound Interstate 94 north of Tomah, the State Patrol said.

According to the State Patrol:

The first of the crashes happened at about 6:50 p.m. when an eastbound SUV driven by a 26-year-old woman from Minnesota crossed the center median and struck two semitrailer trucks.

The woman and her passenger, a 47-year-old man from Wisconsin, were killed. The two semi drivers, a 43-year-old man from Minnesota and a 56-year-old man from Michigan, suffered noncritical injuries.

While traffic was shut down on I-94 in both directions, a 72-year-old semi driver from Minnesota hit the parked squad car of a trooper who was on the west side of the interstate assisting with the investigation of the initial crash. The trooper was hospitalized and is expected to survive his injuries, while the trucker was not hurt.

The trucker “failed to move over for advanced warning, including cones and flares, for a lane closure,” a State Patrol statement read.

The statement included this admonition to drivers: “Please remember to slow down and pay close attention while approaching emergency response zones.”

Release of the identities of all of the vehicles’ occupants is pending.