By Shereen Siewert
Four people are dead and seven people are injured following a series of crashes Friday morning on I-39, according to the Wisconsin State Patrol.
All crashes happened early Friday morning in the northbound lanes.
The first crash was reported just before 4 a.m., when officers were called to a property damage, rear-end crash involving two semi tractor trailers at I-90/94/39 at Wis. Hwy. 60, near Lodi in Columbia County.
Just over an hour later a straight truck piled into the first crash scene, seriously injuring a Columbia County highway worker. Two state troopers were also seriously injured in the second crash, police said. Their injuries are not life-threatening.
All three people were transported to UW Hospital in Madison for treatment.
At about 6:45 a.m., just as northbound traffic was queuing doe to the earlier crashes, a major, multi-vehicle rash happened along the northbound interstate near County Hwy. K. Multiple fatalities and injuries were reported.
Police say a semi traveling at highway speeds created the chain-reaction crash, which involved at least seven vehicles: two semis, a dump truck and four passenger vehicles.
The highway was closed for several hours following the final crash sequence. As of noon on Friday, two northbound lanes are now open at Wis. Hwy. 60, though the right lane remains closed.
Police have not yet released the names or ages of any of the victims involved. The crash remains under investigation at this time.
