By Shereen Siewert
Police have identified the victim in a weekend Portage County crash as 39-year-old Joel Kiedrowski, of Stockton.
The three-vehicle crash was reported just before 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21 near the intersection of Hwy. 10 and Algoma Street in the town of Hull.
According to an updated news release issued Monday, an initial crash investigation shows a Kiedrowski was traveling westbound on Hwy. 10 in a Saturn Ion when he passed a westbound Toyota Rav-4, sideswiping the SUV before crossing the paved center turn lane. The Ion then entered the eastbound lanes of Hwy. 10, colliding head on with an eastbound GMC Sierra pickup driven by 63-year-old Thomas Swanson, of Hartland.
Swanson suffered severe injuries and was transported to Aspirus Wausau Hospital. His current condition was not disclosed.
One passenger in the Toyota, 50-year-old Kathleen Pedersen, of Merrill, was also injured and was transported to Aspirus Wausau Hospital. Her injuries were described as non life-threatening. The driver of the Toyota, 62-year-old Paul Pedersen, was not injured.
A Wisconsin State Patrol Accident Reconstruction Team responded to the scene to assist in the accident investigation and reconstruction. Also assisting at the scene was the Portage County Traffic Incident Management Team and the Portage County Highway Department.
The exact cause of the crash is still under investigation.
