3-vehicle crash near Spencer leads to injuries

Two people were transported to the hospital with suspected serious injuries after a crash caused by distracted driving that occurred Friday night south of Spencer on Highway 13, between Back Country Road and County Highway F.

Just before 9 p.m. Friday Daniel Anderson was driving a Ford Explorer in the southbound lane of Highway 13 south of Spencer, when he put his turn signal on and stopped to yield to an oncoming vehicle while waiting to turn east into his driveway at 205681 State Highway 13. While he was stopped, he was rear-ended by another Ford Explorer driven by a juvenile. The juvenile said he had looked down to read a text message and when he looked up, it was too late to avoid a collision with the vehicle ahead of him. The collision caused Anderson's vehicle to spin and cross the center line.

A female juvenile driving a Chevrolet Monte Carlo was headed north in the left of the two northbound lanes on Highway 13 when she saw the collision happen in the southbound lane. She tried to brake and swerve to the right, but the rear end of Anderson's vehicle collided with the driver side of her vehicle. Her vehicle spun

Please see Crash, page 8

Above, an EMT renders aid to the occupants of the Ford Explorer that was rear-ended just south of Spencer on Highway 13 last Friday night. Two people were transported with suspected serious injuries.

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around and ended up in the ditch north of the driveway facing toward the road. Anderson’s vehicle ended up on the shoulder next to the driveway, also facing toward the road. The male juvenile’s vehicle ended up in the west ditch facing south.

Each vehicle had one passenger. According to the crash report issued by the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, all six occupants were injured to varying degrees. Daniel Anderson and his passenger, Rhonda Anderson, were transported to Marshfield Medical Center with suspected serious injuries. The rest had possible or suspected minor injuries. All were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.

The road was fully closed for over an hour while local law enforcement and EMS responded to the scene and vehicles were towed away. The road was reopened at 10:10 p.m. and the scene was cleared at 10:14 p.m.

Editor Valorie Brecht contributed to this report.

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