ELBA, Wis. – Four teens died in a major crash on State Highway 16/60 Monday morning. Their names have been given by authorities in south-central Wisconsin.
The new information from the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office says that the victims are Luis Gamillo (19), from Sun Prairie; Alix Hernandez (18), from Fall River; Erik Gamillo Calzada (17), also from Sun Prairie; and Ivan Herrera (16), also from Sun Prairie.
Also, 18-year-old Joseline Herrera from Madison is still in the hospital with serious injuries. The semi-truck driver, 57-year-old Jeffrey Brown from La Farge, was treated and sent home from the hospital.
Dale Schmidt, the sheriff of Dodge County, has been asked many times about accidents that happened at this intersection in the past.
Police say there have been nine accidents on State Highway 16-60 at County TT in the last ten years. Five crashes only caused property damage, two were thought to have caused minor injuries, two were thought to have caused major injuries, and one had already killed two people.
The Dodge County Highway Department and the Dodge County Traffic Safety Committee have looked into this intersection and told the Wisconsin Department of Transportation what they think should be done.
County officials say they can’t do anything about making state crossings safer, which is a shame. Many safety improvements have been asked for at this intersection because it is dangerous, but the Wisconsin Department of Transportation has not agreed to them.
Some of the improvements that have been asked for are small changes that will catch the attention of drivers. Some improvements that might make a difference are reflectors, blinking lights on the stop signs, and more.