1 dead, 2 injured in Saxon accident

By RALPH ANSAMI

ransami@yourdailyglobe.com

SAXON, Wis. - A Wisconsin State Patrol reconstruction expert was called to the scene of an early Tuesday morning fatal accident on U.S. 2 in Saxon.

The accident involved a logging truck and car around 3:53 a.m. near the Saxon Cemetery.

Iron County Sheriff Tony Furyk said both drivers were transported by Beacon Ambulance to Aspirus Ironwood Hospital and a passenger in the car was pronounced dead at the scene by Iron County Coroner Diane Simonich. The names of the victim and drivers were being withheld, pending notification of family members.

It snowed throughout the night and the road may have been covered at the time of the accident, although the cause of the crash was not immediately determined. There were also periods of dense fog overnight.

The Iron County Sheriff's Department responded and the Saxon Fire Department and first responders were called to the scene, along with Beacon Ambulances.

Also responding were the Hurley Fire Department and rescue crew, and Hurley police.

Around 8 a.m., the highway remained closed, awaiting the state patrol's reconstructionist, with the truck-trailer and a spilled load of logs remaining to be cleaned up from the south side of U.S. 2. The trailer remained mostly full of logs, although log pieces had rolled down the hill from the scene of the crash.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation reported the accident site was cleared and the highway was reopened by 12:30 p.m.

A detour had been set up that sent heavy trucks to Wisconsin 77, although the U.S. 2 stretch from Wisconsin 122 to Hurley was open to traffic. Light traffic was detoured through Saxon to Clement Road, and then onto U.S. 2.

Furyk said the accident remained under investigation by the state patrol and sheriff's department later Tuesday.