VernonReporter
Vernon County Sheriff's Office photo

Two vehicle crash injures one person, leads to new stop signs

WESTBY, Wis. – Vernon County Sheriff Roy Torgerson reports a two-vehicle crash occurred Sunday, Sept. 29, at approximately 8:15 a.m.  The crash, resulting in one injury, occurred at a four-way intersection at the corners of four towns: Christiana, Coon, Jefferson, and Viroqua, in rural Westby.

According to the Sheriff 20-year-old Zachary Lee Meighan of Warren, ILL, was operating a pickup truck north on Three Chimney Road approaching the intersection controlled by a stop sign for the north-south traffic.  Meighan reported stopping, but said he was unable to see traffic from the left due to an obstruction.  As Meighan entered the intersection, he was struck by a vehicle driven by Kelly Ray Haakenson, 58, of rural Viroqua, Wis.  The Haakenson vehicle was traveling east on West Tri-State Road.

Vernon County Sheriff’s Office photo

Haakenson sustained minor injuries and was transported to Vernon Memorial Healthcare in Viroqua by Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance.  No other injuries were reported.

Assisting the Sheriff’s Office were the Westby Police Department, Westby-Christiana Fire Department, Westby First Responders, and Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance.

Sheriff Torgerson contacted the four town chairmen Sunday morning, and they collectively agreed to temporarily control traffic from all directions with a stop sign.  The additional signage for a four-way stop was erected Monday morning, September 30.  These changes could become permanent.  The Vernon County Highway Department assisted the towns.

The crash remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office.

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