Waukesha County crash shuts down I-94, driver seriously injured
WAUKESHA COUNTY, Wis. - There were backups for miles in Waukesha County on Friday, Aug. 23.
Investigators say a quote, "serious" crash caused major delays on I-94 in Brookfield.
Fire officials say the man was ejected and there’s a visual reminder at the scene of just how intense this crash was.
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Helicopter lands on the freeway
During rush hour, it was anything but normal. Just after 8 a.m., the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department says a 911 call came in about a bad crash.
The impact was so intense, it cracked this retaining wall.
A single-vehicle accident was reported westbound on I-94, just west of Barker Road. The Brookfield Fire Department provided additional details, saying the caller believed the driver was ejected after the vehicle left the roadway.
In a statement to FOX6, first responders noted "severe damage" to the vehicle. They called Flight for Life and the helicopter landed on I-94.
That caused investigators to shut down all lanes of traffic between US-18 and Redford Boulevard.
Officials say the driver – a 44-year-old-man – was seriously hurt and taken to a hospital.
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Just before 9 a.m., the city of Brookfield Fire Department reported everything was under control, but the backups continued until close to noon.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation, and it’s not clear if the driver was wearing a seatbelt.
But the Brookfield Fire Department reminds everyone that wearing on can reduce the risk of dying in a crash by up to 75%.