Pewaukee crash: Construction worker, woman killed; others injured
PEWAUKEE, Wis. - A Pewaukee crash left two people dead and two others, including the driver who caused the crash, injured on Wednesday morning.
It happened on Capitol Drive just east of Pewaukee Road around 9:30 a.m. The sheriff's office said a 49-year-old man was driving west and rear-ended another vehicle before continuing into a construction zone.
The driver of that vehicle that was hit, identified as a 76-year-old woman, died from her injuries. A 46-year-old construction worker was hit and died at an area hospital due to his injuries.
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Pewaukee crash; Pewaukee Road Capitol Drive
A second construction worker, identified as a 47-year-old man, sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The 49-year-old driver who caused the crash also sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The intersection of Pewaukee and Capitol was shut down due to the investigation and did not reopen until shortly before 2 p.m. The crash scene spanned a tenth of a mile.
Labor leaders respond
Dan Bukiewicz is president of the Milwaukee Building & Construction Trades Council.
"This is hugely traumatic. This is something that doesn't go away," Bukiewicz said. "You're spending, you know, a third of your day, if not better, with these individuals, with these men and women. And they become your family. It's devastating to the crews. It's devastating to the companies."
Wednesday's crash comes almost a week after a police pursuit on I-43 ended with officers opening fire on carjacking suspects in an active construction zone.
Fortunately, no workers were hit.
"They try to always keep it in the worker's mind to be mindful of your environment, but we can only control that environment so much," Bukiewicz said.
The Council hopes these incidents aren’t a trend for this construction season.
Statement from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation:
WisDOT is deeply saddened by news of the crash on WIS 190/Capitol Drive near Pewaukee in Waukesha County. We express condolences to the loved ones of those who lost their lives, as well as the people injured. One of WisDOT’s top priorities is keeping construction projects safe for workers, the community, and the traveling public. We continue to stress the importance of work zone safety in coordination with county highway departments, law enforcement and industry partners. Together, we can make a difference on our roads – always watch for workers; slow down; eliminate distractions; and be alert to changing traffic conditions.