May 28, 2024 – Dodge Co., WI – The Dodge County Sheriff’s Department is releasing the names of the people involved in Monday’s fatal crash in the Town of Elba, WI. Please keep the families in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
The identities of the deceased from the crash yesterday were:
Driver: Luis Gamillo, 19, Sun Prairie
Passengers: Alix Hernandez, 18, Fall River
Erik Gamillo Calzada, 17, Sun Prairie
Ivan Herrera, 16, Sun Prairie
Joseline Herrera, 18, Madison, remained hospitalized with serious injuries.
Jeffrey Brown, 57, La Farge, WI, was treated and released from an area hospital.
Sheriff Dale Schmidt has received numerous requests regarding prior crashes at this intersection. In the last 10 years, there have been nine prior crashes at State 16-60/County TT.
Five were property damage only, two had suspected minor injury crashes, two were suspected major injury crashes, and there was one prior fatal crash where two individuals passed away.
The Dodge County Highway Department and the Dodge County Traffic Safety Committee have studied this intersection and recommendations have been made to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
Unfortunately, Dodge County has no control over safety improvements at state intersections. While numerous safety enhancements have been requested at this intersection due to it being problematic, Wisconsin DOT has not approved the requests.
Some of the enhancements that have been requested are small modification to grab the attention of drivers. Enhancements that may make a difference include flashing lights on the stop signs, reflectors, and others.
Again, it is an intersection that is controlled by DOT and there is nothing additional the county can do without their approval.
This intersection will continue to be under review, and we will continue to make recommendations in the future in hopes of mitigating further tragedies.
May 27, 2024 – Dodge Co., WI – On May 27, 2024 at approximately 4 a.m. the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office responded to a fatal motor vehicle crash on State Highway 16/60 at the intersection of County Road TT in the township of Elba, about three miles east of Columbus.
Initial investigation showed a 2000 Ford F150 was traveling north on County Highway TT when it failed to stop at the stop sign on County Highway TT at State Highway 16/60.
A 2017 Western Star Semi without trailer, was traveling east on State Highway 16/60 when it struck the Ford F150.
The semi-tractor was operated by a 57-year-old male from La Farge Wisconsin, who was transported to Prairie Ridge Hospital in Columbus with minor injuries.
Three of the five occupants in the Ford F150 were pronounced deceased at the scene, which were the driver, a 19-year -old Sun Prairie man, a 17-year-old Sun Prairie male passenger, and a 16 year old male passenger from Madison.
An 18-year-old female passenger later died at UW Hospital. One female passenger from the Ford F150, an 18-year-old from Madison, was transported to UW Madison Hospital with life threatening injuries.
The crash remains under investigation by the County Sheriff’s Office Crash Investigation Team.
Assisting at the scene was the Beaver Dam Paramedics, Columbus Fire Department, Life Star EMS, Dodge County Emergency Response Team, the Dodge County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Dodge County Sheriff Chaplains.
Prayers for all, including the dear chaplins.