SHULLSBURG — Seven people were hospitalized in a three-car accident southeast of Shullsburg on Wednesday, according to Lafayette County Sheriff Reg Gill.

The Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center received a 911 call reporting a motor vehicle crash involving three vehicles and numerous subjects seriously injured at the intersection of County W and County O, Town of White Oak Springs at 4:11 p.m. on Wednesday, July 16.

“Lafayette County Sheriff’s Deputies, Shullsburg EMS and Fire, along with two ambulances from Lafayette County EMS were immediately dispatched,” Gill said in a press release. 

The intersection is a three-way stop, with southbound traffic on County O given the right of way with no stop sign. Traffic has increased on these rural roads this summer with two bridge replacements taking place on Wis. 11 just outside of Shullsburg.

Initially investigation of the crash revealed that Sierrha S. Younger, 30, of Dubuque, Iowa, was traveling westbound on County W in a 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe, when she failed to stop at her stop sign at the intersection. Younger’s vehicle was struck by Sally T. Montgomery, 61, Shullsburg and her 2019 Chevrolet Equinox, which was traveling southbound on County O. The collision of the two vehicles then caused Younger’s Hyundai to crash into a 2024 Chevrolet Trailblazer, operated by Lillian L. Fifer, 19, of Dekalb, Ill., which had been traveling eastbound on County W and was stopped at the stop sign on the west side of the intersection.

During the crash, one of Younger’s two children was ejected from the vehicle. Younger and her two children were transported by ambulance to Lafayette Hospital + Clinics in Darlington. Due to the severity of their injuries, the children were later transferred to UW Hospital in Madison, one by Med Flight helicopter and one by ambulance, Gill said.

Each vehicle had multiple occupants at the time of the crash. Sally Montgomery and her passenger, Randall J. Montgomery, 61, Shullsburg, were transported by ambulance to Southwest Health Center in Platteville. Fifer and her passenger, Alexander C. Hardin, 21, of Grant, Ala., were transported by ambulance to Midwest Medical Center, Galena, Ill. 

All three vehicles involved sustained major, disabling damage and were towed from the scene.

 The Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by Shullsburg Fire and EMS, Lafayette County EMS, Warren (Ill.) Area Ambulance Service, Hazel Green Area Rescue Squad, Jo Daviess County (Ill.) Sheriff’s Office and Benton Police Department. Darlington Police Department and Lafayette County Highway Department also provided assistance.