Grant County Two-Vehicle Accident

Two Vehicle Crash Serious Injury 

On July 24th at approximately 6:59am, the Grant County Sheriff's Office was notified of a two-vehicle crash with entrapment on County Highway K near Hilltop Road in Mt. Ida Township. An Officer from the Wisconsin State Patrol and Deputies from the Grant County Sheriff's Office responded to the crash scene. When officers arrived they learned Shawn Leffler, age 46, of Woodman, was operating a 2006 Saturn Ion southbound on County Highway K. Joseph Freed, age 49, of Platteville, was operating a 2015 Ram 3500 service truck, northbound on County K. The preliminary investigation indicated that Leffler crossed the centerline and traveled into the northbound lane, which caused the front driver's side of Leffler's Saturn to collide with the front driver's side of Freed's Ram 3500.  

Leffler's Saturn then left the roadway and came to a rest in the ditch on the west side of the road. Freed was able to maintain control of the Ram and stopped on the roadway. Both vehicles sustained disabling damage from the crash.  

Freed was wearing his seatbelt and was uninjured in the crash. Leffler was not wearing his seatbelt and was trapped in the Saturn and had to be extricated from the vehicle by the Fennimore Fire Department. Leffler sustained serious injuries and was transported by Fennimore EMS to Grant Regional Health Center, and then transferred to UW-Hospital in Madison by Med-Flight. 

Traffic on County Highway K was shut down for approximately 1 hour due to the crash. The Wisconsin State Patrol is handling the crash. Fennimore Fire Department, Fennimore EMS, Grant County Highway Department, Bennett's Automotive and Towing, Arrow Towing and the Grant County Sheriff's Office assisted the State Patrol at the scene.  

According to the State Patrol, Leffler will be cited for operating left of center and for not wearing his seatbelt. The crash remains under investigation.