A catastrophic collision between a semi-trailer truck and a van occurred on a Wisconsin highway on Friday, March 8, 2024. The event resulted in the loss of nine lives and left one person critically wounded.
The incident took place in Dewhurst Township, in the west-central region of Wisconsin, at the junction of Highway 95 and County Road J. An eastbound semi-trailer truck carrying milk collided with a northbound van on County Road J shortly before 8 a.m. The impact ejected the semi’s driver, and the vehicle ended up in a ditch. The van was discovered ablaze and tipped on its side, with seven passengers ejected and two remaining inside.
Eight passengers from the van, including the driver, and the semi’s driver died instantly in the collision. A surviving passenger from the van was rushed to a local hospital.
Among the victims were seven members of an Amish community from Burke’s Garden, Tazewell County, Virginia. A community hotline has revealed the names and ages of eight casualties:
James McCoy, approximately 45 years old, was the van’s driver and originated from Pounding Mill, Virginia.
44-year-old Linda Byler and her daughters, 24-year-old Lydia Byler and 23-year-old Ellen Schrock, were also among the deceased.
Ellen’s husband, 24-year-old Orlah Schrock, their 6-month-old daughter Judy Rose Schrock, and Orlah’s sister, 21-year-old Delilah Schrock, were also victims of the crash.
Suzanna Hertzler, 18 years old, was also killed in the crash.
Micah Schrock, about two years old, was the sole survivor of the crash. A fundraising campaign has been initiated to assist the families affected by the tragedy.
The semi was driven by Daniel Liddicoat, 51, a trucker who managed his family’s milk-trucking business in Iowa County, Wisconsin. He was also a former high school girls’ basketball coach.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers expressed his profound regret about the accident on social media, stating, “Kathy and I are deeply saddened by the fatal crash in Clark County, which tragically claimed nine lives today. Our hearts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those lost, as well as with the first responders who acted swiftly at the scene.”
According to the records of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the accident has resulted in the highest number of fatalities in Clark County in any single year since 2019. With nine fatalities, this incident is tied with a similar event in 1937 in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, as the second deadliest crash in the state’s history, as reported by Wisconsin Watch.
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office is coordinating the ongoing investigation into the accident, with support from the Wisconsin State Patrol.
Following the accident, nearby roads were closed for several hours. Authorities established detours around the accident site and advised the public to avoid the area until the investigation was concluded and the roads reopened.