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Two killed in early morning crash
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FAYETTE TOWNSHIP - Two men were killed and two others injured in a traffic accident in Fayette Township early Friday morning.

Christopher J. Johnsen, 23, of rural Mineral Point, and Thomas Skattum, 22, of Blanchardville were both killed in the crash. Johnsen was driving the vehicle and Skattum was in the front passenger seat.

A rear-seat passenger, Anthony F. Paddock, 25, of rural Mount Horeb, was taken by Med Flight to a Madison hospital. Another rear-seat passenger, Michael J. Juras, 21, of Hollandale, was taken by ambulance to Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County in Darlington.

The condition of Paddock and Juras is unknown, according to the Lafayette County Sheriff's Department.

The accident occurred at about 12:38 a.m. Friday. According to a preliminary investigation, Johnsen was driving a 1999 Pontiac Sunfire westbound on County Line Road when he lost control of the vehicle. The car skidded sideways on the road and collided with a bridge guardrail.

Speed was the primary contributing factor for the crash, the sheriff's department reported. Alcohol was present and it does not appear the victims were wearing seatbelts. The investigation by the sheriff's department and coroner's office is continuing.

County Line Road was blocked for nearly six hours while rescue personnel extricated the victims from the vehicle. Waldwick Township officials in Iowa County responded and closed County Line Road to local traffic only until guard rails on the bridge can be repaired.