Nov. 16, 2016 – Town of Polk, WI – On Monday morning, Nov. 14 at 12:12 a.m., the Washington County Sheriff’s Office investigated a single-vehicle rollover accident in the area of I41 at Highway 144 in the Town of Polk.
The passing motorist called 911 after she saw a vehicle suddenly veer off the road and roll twice. The car came to rest in the grassy area between I41 and the northbound Hwy 144 off ramp. First responders arrived to find a total of four occupants of the vehicle – two adults and two children ages 1 and 14.
The investigation revealed the operator, a 39-year-old Appleton woman, was northbound when she threw a Snickers candy bar wrapper out of the vehicle window. That action somehow caused her to lose control of the car and veer off road. All occupants were transported to area medical facilities with only minor injuries. The driver was cited for failure to maintain control and operation after suspension.
The picture of the backpack and contents illustrate the effects of centrifugal force on items within a car as it rotates side to side. Items are oftentimes thrown from the vehicle and directly into the path of the rolling car – this can also apply to occupants of the motor vehicle and have terrible consequences.