Highway 43 was shut both ways near Darien the evening of Feb. 9 as a wrong-way driver caused what would turn out to be a fatal crash.
The Walworth County Sheriff’s Office issued a news release Friday regarding the crash, which claimed the life of Kimberly Ann Fannan, 27, of Rockford, Illinois. Two others were injured in the incident, one critically.
According to the release, the Walworth County Sheriff’s 911 Communications Center received a phone call at about 9:15 p.m. Feb. 9 of a reckless driver traveling northbound in the soundbound lanes of Highway 43 near the Town of Darien.
The driver was apparently going at a high rate of speed, and law enforcement agencies immediately began to search for the driver, officials said.
City of Delavan police located the suspect and tried to stop the driver, but he failed to stop for audible and visual signs, continuing northbound in the southbound lanes.
The suspect finally struck a southbound vehicle in a head-on collision near the Highway F bridge in the Town of Delavan. The suspect vehicle caught fire, and the driver – who was the lone occupant – was removed by a Wisconsin State trooper.
He was identified as Eric R. Peters, 32, from Colgate. He was transported via Flight for Life to a trauma center with critical injuries.
No further updates were available on Peters Monday afternoon.
The vehicle Peters hit had two people inside, including Fannan, who was the passenger. The driver, Curtis R. Washington, also of Rockford, sustained minor injuries in the crash.
Fannan was transported to an area hospital, where she died as a result of her injuries.
The Walworth County Sheriff’s Department said in the release that itb is working with the county district attorney’s office regarding potential criminal charges to be filed against Peters.
The sheriff’s office, along with Town and City of Delavan Police, the Wisconsin State Patrol, the Town and City of Delavan and City of Elkhorn fire departments all responded to the incident.
