Clark County Tanker Crash: Deadly collision between semi truck and van leaves 9 dead near west-central Wisconsin

As many as nine people were killed and one person was injured in a crash that took place in Clark County, Wisconsin, in the early hours of Friday, March 8, 2024. The collision between a tanker truck and a van happened on State Highway 95, near County Highway J in the Town of Dewhurst, located around 50 miles southeast of Eau Claire.

According to the Clark County Sheriff's Office, the crash took place at around 7:53 am when a van traveling north on County Road J entered the intersection at Highway 95. The van collided with an eastbound semi, killing the driver of the latter as well as eight people in the van. One person who was inside the van was taken to Marshfield St. Joseph’s Hospital due to injuries. Law enforcement officials informed Twin Cities television station, KSTP, that none of the victims were local to the area and were just passing through.

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers expressed condolences for the victims in a post on X stating that he and his wife Kathy were saddened upon hearing the news of the crash.

Collision Shuts Down Highway 95 in Clark County, Wisconsin

A collision occurred near Dewhurst, Wisconsin around 7:53 am on Friday, March 8, 2024, killing nine people and injuring one. Names of the victims or anyone else linked to the case have yet to be revealed to the public.

Initial information from multiple news sources showed a vehicle going north on County J colliding with a semi moving east on State 95. Aerial footage from Twin Cities television station WCCO showed the semi and its trailer coming to a stop off the road with the trailer on its side. The van was charred from the fire and was overturned on the shoulder of the road.

Following the crash, Wisconsin Highway 95 remained closed for several hours and reopened at 8:30 pm on Friday. The road was closed in both directions, according to CBS News. Wisconsin State Patrol told drivers to stay away from the crash and that the investigation was still on. The investigation into the crash is being conducted jointly by the Wisconsin State Patrol and the Clark County Sheriff's Office.

Coroner Clarissa Rochester pronounced the semi-driver and eight van occupants dead at the scene. The one van passenger who was injured was transported to St. Joseph's Hospital.

Following the crash, multiple agencies rushed to the scene to assist the sheriff's office in managing the aftermath of the crash. According to ABC News, the agencies included the Hartfield Fire and Rescue Department, the Neillsville Area Ambulance, the Clark County Highway Department, and the Clark County Coroner's Office. Most of the emergency respondents were at the site of the crash until 3 pm.

The Wisconsin State Patrol remains actively involved in the ongoing investigation. This accident stands for the second worst crash in the state's history alongside the event from 1937 in Manitowoc County which also took nine lives.

The impact of the accident has surpassed the annual fatality count for Clark County since at least 2019, according to records from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.