The accident happened last Thursday at 3:23 p.m. when a car, waiting to make a left turn on U.S. 14 near Miller Farms Road in Black Earth, triggered a succession of crashes involving 4 vehicles and leaving 7 people with injuries, with one 11-year-old girl the most seriously injured.
Patricia Bode, age 49, of Mazomanie, was driving her Toyota Corolla eastbound on U.S.14 when, about a mile east of Wisconsin Heights High School, she had to stop behind a car attempting to make a left turn. The Corolla was rear-ended by a Plymouth Voyager driven by a 16-year-old woman from Black Earth, sending the two cars into the westbound lanes. A westbound Buick Regal driven by Linda Sponem, 49, of Arena, hit the two cars and went crashing into a Saturn, driven by Thankful Sanftleben, age 59, of Mazomanie.
Bode's daughter, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the Corolla and suffered serious injuries. Sponem's two daughters aged 16 and 17 were also injured in the Buick Regal.
A University of Wisconsin (UW) MedFlight helicopter was dispatched to airlift all seven victims to the Madison hospital, but was unable to land due to strong winds and pouring rain. The victims were transported by ambulance and UW, is expected to release a report on their conditions soon. U.S.14 remained closed to traffic for five hours.
The attorneys of Hupy & Abraham send their best wishes for a speedy recovery to all the injured victims of this frightening accident.