Third victim in Highway 41 wrong-way driver crash has died

MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee County Sheriff's officials announced Wednesday, July 4th that a woman hospitalized in critical condition for injuries suffered in a wrong-way crash on Highway 41 early Monday morning died -- becoming the third fatality in the crash.

Officials say a wrong-way driver is accused of causing the deadly crash, and says the driver didn't have a license.

It happened just before 1:30 a.m. in the northbound lanes of Highway 41 near W. Washington Blvd.

Late Tuesday night, Milwaukee County Sheriff's officials released the names of those killed in this incident. They are 22-year-old Takeya Walker (the striking driver), and 23-year-old Deandre Jackson (the driver of the vehicle initially struck). 45-year-old Kathlene Flessert died on July 4th at Froedtert Hospital.

Witnesses say a wrong-way driver was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes and struck another vehicle head-on. Both vehicles spun out after the impact, crashing into two additional vehicles.

The wrong way driver and the driver in the vehicle initially struck were pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the third vehicle was taken to Froedtert Hospital and was listed in critical condition, but later died. The driver of the fourth vehicle did not require medical treatment.

Investigators will have to wait for toxicology results to determine whether alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash.

Wisconsin State Patrol officials performed the crash reconstruction. DOT cameras are too far south of the scene and did not capture the crash.

Mark Carrao lives near where the crash occurred, and travels on the highway often. He said finding out about the crash Monday was alarming.

"It`s more reason to wear your seatbelt, drive slow, stay off of your phone, don`t text, pay attention -- because it may not be you doing the wrong thing, but you never know.  Especially late at night, being on the road," Carrao said.

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