BLANCHARDVILLE - A 69-year-old man is dead Tuesday after being hit head-on by a drunk driver at lunchtime Tuesday, just north of Blanchardville in Iowa County. The surviving driver has been convicted five times previously for drunk driving, the Iowa County Sheriff's Office said.

The crash happened just before 11:30 a.m. near the intersection of Wis. 78 and County F north of Blanchardville.

In a news release, the sheriff's office said the victim, Gary Gruenenfelder of Blanchardville, was heading south on Wis. 78 when a driver in a Ford F-150 crossed the center line and hit Gruenenfelder's Toyota Sienna. First responders took Gruenenfelder to SSM Health Monroe Hospital where he died.

The truck's driver, Thomas Naughtin, 54, Blanchardville, is in stable condition at UW Hospital.

Charges of homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle, operating left of center causing death and inattentive driving are pending in the case, according to the press release.

Naughtin has five previous OWI convictions, the sheriff's office said. Online court records show His most recent offense happened in June 2017, according to online court records. He pleaded guilty to the charge 11 months later.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Wis. 78 was closed for roughly five hours due to the crash. Blanchardville Fire and EMS, Mineral Point EMS, Iowa County Highway Shop, Iowa County District Attorney, Hollandale Fire Department, Iowa County Sheriff’s Office and the Wisconsin State Patrol were all responding agencies involved.