Driver in motorcycle crash on US HWY 18 initially charged with 9th offense OWI

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - The driver of a motorcycle involved in a crash on US HWY 18 Saturday night was initially charged with 9th offense OWI.

According to the Ridgeway Marshal’s Office, a 47-year-old man from Mount Horeb was driving eastbound on HWY 18 around 5:35 p.m. when he lost control of his Harley Davidson motorcycle.

When the driver lost control, he traveled into the median and struck the traffic barrier. He was thrown from the motorcycle and suffered possible life-threatening injuries.

The highway was shut down during the crash as Medflight landed on the scene and airlifted the man to a Madison hospital, the Marshal’s Office said.

While the crash and possible citations are still under investigation, the driver was initially charged with 9th office OWI, operating after revocation and failing to install an ignition interlock device.

The Marshal’s Office said speed and alcohol are considered to be primary factors in the crash.

The Ridgeway Fire Department and First Response were the first to arrive on scene. They were assisted by Dodgeville Area Ambulance Service, UW Med Flight and the Dodgeville and Barneveld Fire Departments.

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