Updated: One Killed In I-94 Crash at 7 Mile Road
A multi-vehicle crash forced authorities to shut down traffic on Interstate 94 as rescue crews worked to assist the injured. Flight for Life appeared to have been called.
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One person was killed and 10 people injured in a serious crash on Interstate 94 at 7 Mile Road in Caledonia Sunday afternoon.
The chain-reaction accident happened in the northbound lanes about 1:30 p.m., according to a Journal Sentinel report. A semi-truck and two pickup trucks were involved, and the Racine Journal Times reported that Flight for Life was called to the scene.
The crash closed the Interstate and caused major congestion for several hours. The identity of the person killed has not yet been released.
Patricia Stepanski, 53, of Mt. Pleasant, was driving her 2005 Chrysler van northbound on I-94 and trying to exit off of Seven Mile Road when the driver of the car in front of her slammed on the brakes, according to a Caledonia police report.
Stepanski told a Racine County Sheriff's deputy that she hit the brakes and a semi hit her van from behind. The vehicle in front of her veered out to the left, causing her to veer over one traffic lane.
"After I was struck, and veered to the left, I heard crashing behind me. I was afraid to look out my back window after seeing the grill of the semi a moment earlier," Stepanski told police.
In the middle of the lane, in traffic and unable to pull over, Stepanski took the 27th Street exit and circled back around to flag down a deputy.
BA
5:44 pm on Sunday, March 18, 2012
5:42pm husband called on way to MKE airport for 6:40pm flight to NC but HWY 94 is closed. He's currently on HWY G but there's an officer that has closed that road as well. Waiting on call back for status. News station says it could be up to 4 hours before it reopens.
BA
6:12 pm on Sunday, March 18, 2012
6:00pm husband took HWY V to avoid 94 closure
mau
7:23 pm on Sunday, March 18, 2012
Early this afternoon we were just starting to get on I-94 from the Hwy G on-ramp. I spotted that the freeway was backing up and we backed up and took the west frontage road instead. We saw just before the off-ramp at 7 Mile, in the northbound lanes, there was a total backup at the exit as people were trying to get off for 7 Mile Fair. We saw the back of the semi trailer down on the ground and spotted at least 2-3 vehicles smashed up on the shoulder and in the ditch. With the gawkers this caused all 3 lanes to come to a stand still. North of 7 mile the freeway was completely clear so we made our way under the freeway on 7 mile and to the on ramp to I-94. The parking lot of 7 Mile Fair was completely full and the traffic was backed up all the way to the off ramp at the BP station. Drivers were crazy anxious to get to the fair. When we got on the freeway you could see traffic was also starting to back up on the southbound lane, with people exiting for 7 Mile Fair.
I just do not understand the attraction of that junkyard.
PJS
5:39 pm on Monday, March 19, 2012
Neither do I understand as a person who grew up in Caledonia, there is a huge huge difference in the fair now compared to the fair of the 1970's to early 80's. Looks like it became a huge Rummage O Rama hangout with most people coming in from IL and Kenosha.
mau
7:26 pm on Sunday, March 18, 2012
Coming back home we couldn't use the freeway south of the end of 27th street and Hwy V was closed. We did see the flight for life helicopter landing on Hwy V, from Hwy G near St. Louis Church.
There was supposed to be a 3rd accident but haven't heard where.
JLS
9:55 pm on Sunday, March 18, 2012
On I94 & 7 Mile Road, traffic was backed up on the off ramp onto the freeway, as it usually is when 7 Mile Fair is open, and a semi rear-ended the car at the back of the line causing a chain reaction. Two Flight For Life helicopters were called & traffic was re-routed on 6 1/2 Mile Rd as well as Hwy G/V. Not long after the 2nd FFL copter left the scene another accident happened at 6 1/2 Mile & Hwy V where the re-routed traffic was directed. I heard someone was T-boned - probably didn't realize that it was not a 4-way stop. There were also 2 Flight For Life helicopters called to that scene.
Denise Lockwood
11:28 pm on Sunday, March 18, 2012
wow... thanks for all of the info you guys. Sounds like a lot of prayers need to be said for those involved.
Sandy
8:44 am on Monday, March 19, 2012
There seems to be a huge need for more parking at 7 mile Fair as well as direction for people to exit at Hwy G and take the west frontage road to avoid this. The 7 mile exit is just way too short for this kind of traffic. We had just passed that exit and cars were slamming on their brakes because they didn't know that lane was stopped. I told my son how dangerous that was. The accident happened minutes after. Definitely keeping the families in prayer.
mau
1:09 pm on Monday, March 19, 2012
This year the 7 Mile I94 interchange frontage road will be drastically changed like that at Hwy G and Hwy 20. They are already in the process of moving the lines. I'm just guessing but I think the exit will probably wrap around the back of the BP station instead of in front of it. If you look on the west side of I-94 that gas station and cement plant are already gone.
I don't know that changing the off ramp will help. If drivers don't slow down and take their turns this will continue to happen. When we were making our way on 7 Mile under the I-94, one or two vehicles didn't bother making a full stop exiting the freeway on the north side of the accident, and drove right through in front of us.
Rosemary Vilmann
8:48 am on Monday, March 19, 2012
Mau, 7 Mile Fair may be a junkyard, but I had a pair of glasses made there with frames overnight for less than $50 and also had the same prescription made elsewhere for several hundred dollars and when I had them checked at the office of my ophthalmologist at a later date they were made correctly.
Danny
12:27 pm on Monday, March 19, 2012
Really? This seemed like useful information to this story?
Marlys
1:32 pm on Monday, March 19, 2012
Well, Danny, Mau was saying she does not understand the attraction of that 'junkyard' and Rose was giving an example of a good deal at that 'junkyard' The 7 mile fair is does cause lots of of traffic backups and the most recent one turned deadly.
mau
2:12 pm on Monday, March 19, 2012
I won't say what's on my mind because that would really be going off-subject.
PJS
5:55 pm on Monday, March 19, 2012
what is on your mind is prolly what has been on my mind for years now, I almost added it to an earlier post but then thought the same way you did. I didnt want to go there !