MARKESAN, WI — A 43-year-old man died Friday morning after his minivan struck a pickup truck head-on south of Markesan, according to local authorities.
The crash happened around 5:10 a.m. on State Highway 73 near County Highway X. First responders found the man without a pulse inside the minivan and tried lifesaving measures, but he died at the scene.
The driver of the pickup truck, a 36-year-old man, was taken to Waupun Hospital with severe injuries.
Crash reported before sunrise on State Highway 73
Investigators said the collision came in just after daybreak traffic had not yet begun in earnest. The call went out at about 5:10 a.m. on the stretch of highway south of Markesan, placing emergency crews on scene early in the morning.
State Highway 73 near County Highway X is a rural roadway where head-on crashes can quickly bring traffic to a stop. In this case, the impact left one vehicle’s driver dead at the scene and the other with serious injuries.
No additional details were released about how the two vehicles came together on the road.
First responders tried lifesaving steps at the scene
Emergency personnel arrived and found the minivan driver in critical condition. He was described as being without a pulse when crews reached him, and responders attempted lifesaving efforts immediately.
Those efforts did not save the 43-year-old man, who was pronounced dead where the crash happened. Authorities did not release his name.
The pickup driver survived the collision but suffered severe injuries serious enough to require transport to Waupun Hospital.
Pickup driver taken to Waupun Hospital
The second driver involved was identified only as a 36-year-old man. He was hurt badly enough that medics took him to Waupun Hospital after the crash.
Officials said his injuries were severe, but they did not provide a more detailed update on his condition. His name was also withheld.
With both drivers injured or killed in the crash, investigators were left to piece together what happened on the highway before sunrise.
Highway 73 closed for about four hours
The crash shut down State Highway 73 for roughly four hours while emergency responders and investigators worked the scene. That closure gave crews room to treat the injured, secure the area and examine the wreckage.
The road reopened at about 9:55 a.m., restoring traffic after the morning shutdown. The timing suggests cleanup and investigation continued well after the first call came in.
Authorities did not say whether weather, speed or another factor played a role.
Names not released as investigators continue looking into the wreck
Officials have not released the names of either driver. That means the public account of the crash is limited to the ages of the two men and the medical outcomes that followed the collision.
The fatal wreck adds another serious crash to the local roadway record south of Markesan. At this stage, investigators have only confirmed the time, location and the immediate consequences for the two vehicles involved.
Channel 3000 reported the crash details Friday morning, including the highway closure and the reopening time after crews cleared the scene.
Local news that matters, from Dulaney Griffin.
