TOWN OF CLARNO - A driver looking down to light a cigarette caused a three-vehicle crash that injured an Orangeville man and shut down Wisconsin 69 south of Monroe for several hours Thursday morning, according to the Green County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies were called to the scene just north of the stateline in the Town of Clarno at 7:42 a.m. As of 11 a.m., the highway had one open lane and deputies were directing traffic through the area.
Andrew James Turpin, 21, Darlington, was northbound on Wis. 69 approaching County P in a 2005 Ford F150 when he looked down to light a cigarette. When he looked up, the 2004 GMC Envoy in front of him had stopped to turn left on County P and he couldn't avoid hitting it.
The impact of the crash shoved the GMC Envoy into the southbound lane, where the driver of a southbound semi also couldn't avoid hitting it.
The GMC Envoy driver, Brian A. Jordan, 35, Orangeville, was taken by Monroe Ambulance to Monroe Clinic ER for treatment of his injuries. He was wearing a seatbelt, and his airbags deployed. The severely damaged Envoy was towed from the scene.
Turpin sustained a very minor injury to his hand and declined medical attention. His airbags did deploy. He reported not wearing a seatbelt. His pickup truck sustained severe front-end damage and was also towed.
The driver of the semi, Dewayne B. Morrison, 50, Brodhead, was uninjured. His semi unit was undamaged, however the tanker trailer it was hauling sustained severe damage to the rear two axles and had to be removed by L&S Towing.
Turpin is being referred to the Green County district attorney for a charge of operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license, causing great bodily harm. He was also cited for inattentive driving, failure to wear a seatbelt, operating a vehicle without insurance and operating a vehicle with an expired registration. He was released pending court.
The Monroe Fire Department and three units from Monroe Ambulance responded to the crash scene. The Wisconsin State Patrol and Green County Highway Department also assisted deputies at the scene.
Deputies were called to the scene just north of the stateline in the Town of Clarno at 7:42 a.m. As of 11 a.m., the highway had one open lane and deputies were directing traffic through the area.
Andrew James Turpin, 21, Darlington, was northbound on Wis. 69 approaching County P in a 2005 Ford F150 when he looked down to light a cigarette. When he looked up, the 2004 GMC Envoy in front of him had stopped to turn left on County P and he couldn't avoid hitting it.
The impact of the crash shoved the GMC Envoy into the southbound lane, where the driver of a southbound semi also couldn't avoid hitting it.
The GMC Envoy driver, Brian A. Jordan, 35, Orangeville, was taken by Monroe Ambulance to Monroe Clinic ER for treatment of his injuries. He was wearing a seatbelt, and his airbags deployed. The severely damaged Envoy was towed from the scene.
Turpin sustained a very minor injury to his hand and declined medical attention. His airbags did deploy. He reported not wearing a seatbelt. His pickup truck sustained severe front-end damage and was also towed.
The driver of the semi, Dewayne B. Morrison, 50, Brodhead, was uninjured. His semi unit was undamaged, however the tanker trailer it was hauling sustained severe damage to the rear two axles and had to be removed by L&S Towing.
Turpin is being referred to the Green County district attorney for a charge of operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license, causing great bodily harm. He was also cited for inattentive driving, failure to wear a seatbelt, operating a vehicle without insurance and operating a vehicle with an expired registration. He was released pending court.
The Monroe Fire Department and three units from Monroe Ambulance responded to the crash scene. The Wisconsin State Patrol and Green County Highway Department also assisted deputies at the scene.