Nine people were killed and one person was hospitalized following a collision between a passenger van and a semi-trailer truck in rural west-central Wisconsin over the weekend.

The Clark County, Wis., Sheriff’s Department said in a news release that the passenger van was traveling northbound on a county road and carrying nine people when it crossed into the intersection of Wisconsin State Hwy. 95 near Dewhurst Township and collided with the semi, which was eastbound on the state highway, shortly before 8 a.m. on Friday. Dewhurst Township is located about 150 miles southeast of Minneapolis and 200 miles northwest of Milwaukee.

Eight of the van’s passengers, including its driver, and the driver of the semi died. Clark County Coroner Clarissa Rochester pronounced the semi-truck driver and eight of the van’s nine passengers dead at the scene, while one passenger in the van was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital in nearby Marshfield, Wis.  Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers posted on X: “Our hearts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of all those involved as well as the first responders who worked quickly to provide support at the scene.” 

Hwy. 95 was closed most of the day and reopened after the initial investigation concluded and the van and semi were removed from the accident site.

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