Another crash over weekend injures seven
By Tracy Ouellette
Editor
A 38-year-old man from Troy Township died Tuesday morning when his vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree on Highway ES.
According to a press release from the Walworth County Sheriff’s Department, the Walworth County Sheriff’s Crash Investigation Unit’s initial investigation revealed Joshua R. Fanelli was traveling eastbound on Highway ES and left the road when he was negotiating a curve. His vehicle crossed the centerline and went across the westbound lane of Highway ES before leaving the roadway and striking the tree.
According to the Sheriff’s Department, the call of a one-car crash came in at about 5:35 a.m. Dec. 9. Upon arrival, deputies found the car, a 1998 Honda Civic, in a private yard located in the 3100 block of Highway ES, which is about a quarter of a mile east of Bretsch Road in the Town of Troy.
The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene by the Walworth County Coroner’s Office.
This case is open and ongoing at this time. An autopsy will be performed later this week to determine the exact cause of death.
The Sheriff’s Office received support from surrounding agencies including the Troy Center Fire Department, and the East Troy Fire Department.
Highway 20 crash
Saturday night there was another crash on Highway 20 in the Town of East Troy that injured seven people, including two children, six of whom were transferred to area hospitals, one by Flight for Life.
According to Sgt. Paul Schmidt of the Town of East Troy Police Department, the crash happened at about 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6.
Schmidt said three vehicles were involved, a passenger car and two “smaller trucks.”
“We’re still trying to piece it all together,” Schmidt said Monday. “The Sheriff’s Department and State Patrol are doing the reconstruction and it could take some time before we know exactly what happened.”
Schmidt said the car contained two men and two children, a 6-year-old girl and an 8-year-old boy. The car was traveling east on Highway 20 when it was struck by one of the trucks traveling westbound. The other truck involved was also traveling westbound, Schmidt said.
The names of the people involved were not available at press time, but family members of the victims have posted updates to Facebook on the Walworth County Fire/EMAS Scanner page.
Brad Sanborn posted this: “The driver of the car who was hit is my nephews dad. His friend was in the front passenger seat, his daughter was in the back behind the driver (7 ish years old) and my 8 year old nephew was in the back in the passenger side. They got hit head on by an oncoming vehicle.
“The little girl has 2 clean breaks in her leg, and will recover, my nephew was fine besides some seatbelt burn. The passenger in the front was okay. My nephews dad was flown out by flight for life and was taken to Oconomowoc. As of today, he has a shattered kneecap, completely shattered elbow, broken left leg, shoulder and has many facial breaks. We were pleased to find out today that he has no internal bleeding and will be expected to make a full recovery. We have no updates on the other vehicle. Thank you all who sent prayers. We all appreciate it very much.”
A Go Fund Me account has been set up to help the family with medical and other bills resulting from the crash. The site lists Joe Larson as the father who was transported by Flight for Life after the crash. The Go Fund Me page states: “Joe was involved in a head on collision along with his son, Jacob and 2 other passengers on Saturday December 6th. Joe sustained severe injuries and was transported to the hospital where he is in a medically induced coma. We have created this campaign to help ease some of the financial burden placed upon the family at this time. Joe has a long, difficult road ahead of him in his recovery. Funds raised will help ease the extensive medical costs and other non-medical costs related to his injury. Please donate, as every donation will help.”
Anyone wishing to donate to the family can find the page at www.gofundme.com/ifl9r4.
The crash is under investigation, visit mywalworthcounty.com for updated information as it becomes available.
