Hallie J. Helgeson Obituary, Death: Medical Examiner IDs Minnesota teen killed in I-90 crash near DeForest.
Hallie J. Helgeson Obituary, Death – An 18-year-old from Minnesota has been identified as the victim in a deadly weekend crash on Interstate 90, according to the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The victim, Hallie J. Helgeson of Montevideo, Minnesota, died at the scene of the accident early Sunday morning in the Town of Vienna. Preliminary autopsy results confirmed that she died from injuries sustained in the crash, although further tests are still pending.
The Wisconsin State Patrol responded to reports of a serious collision just after midnight. The crash, which involved injuries, people trapped in vehicles, and a fire, was described as a possible head-on collision.
Investigators believe the crash happened when an SUV, which was traveling south in the northbound lanes of I-90, struck a compact SUV. The impact caused the SUV that was driving the wrong way to burst into flames. Helgeson, who was a passenger in the compact SUV that was hit, died at the scene. The driver of that vehicle was critically injured and had to be airlifted to a hospital by UW MedFlight.
The driver of the wrong-way SUV was also taken to the hospital for treatment. Authorities have since arrested that individual for Operating While Impaired (OWI), suspecting alcohol or drug use may have played a role in the crash.
As officers investigated the fatal wreck and began reconstructing the accident scene, a secondary crash occurred nearby. A sedan struck a DeForest Police Department squad car that was parked on the left shoulder of the southbound side of the interstate. The squad car had its emergency lights on and was unoccupied at the time of the collision.
Both occupants of the sedan involved in the second crash sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital. The driver of the sedan was also arrested for OWI, marking a second impaired driving arrest related to the crash investigation.
The series of incidents caused major disruption and highlights ongoing concerns about impaired driving and wrong-way crashes. The investigation into both the initial collision and the follow-up crash remains ongoing.
Authorities continue to work on piecing together all the circumstances that led to the tragic events of that night. Helgeson’s death has prompted an outpouring of grief and concern, particularly as she was just beginning her adult life.
The Wisconsin State Patrol, along with local law enforcement agencies and emergency responders, handled the response to both crashes. They emphasized the importance of safe driving and called on drivers to avoid impaired driving to prevent such tragedies in the future.
No additional updates have been released on the conditions of the injured drivers or passengers, but officials say more information will be shared as the investigation progresses.
