1 dead after 3-vehicle Green Co. crash

NEW GLARUS (WMTV) – A 57-year-old New Glarus man died Friday morning after a crash involving three cars on Highway 69, the Green County Sheriff’s Department announced.

Officials said the 57-year-old, Peter J. Weix, was driving a Volkswagen Beetle behind Toyota Rav4 SUV, when he attempted to pass the driver of the Rav4, a 61-year-old woman from New Glarus, on the right shoulder of the road.

Green Co. Sheriff’s Department said the Weix slid sideways in front of the Rav4 after passing it and the Toyota hit the Beetle on its side. After being hit, Weix was also struck by a southbound Subaru Legacy, driven by a 62-year-old New Glarus woman.

The Beetle and the Subaru were both sent to the west shoulder of the highway, and the Rav4 stayed put in the northbound lane of the highway, officials said.

According to Green Co. Coroner, despite lifesaving measures, Weix died at the scene. Officials said the Subaru driver was taken by Med Flight to a Madison Hospital with critical injuries, and the Rav4 driver did not seek immediate medical treatment.

All three drivers were wearing seatbelts and airbags deployed in all the vehicles, according to the Green Co. Sheriff’s Department. Officials don’t believe road conditions were a factor in the crash.

The stretch of Highway 69 was shut down Friday morning after the crash while the Wisconsin State Patrol sent a crash reconstruction team to the scene with road barricades and personnel to detour traffic.

A Wisconsin State Patrol alert states both directions of Hwy. 69 at the Highland Drive intersection, north of New Glarus, was closed around 8:15 a.m. The notification added that officials expect traffic to be blocked off for at least two hours, but the highway ended up being closed for six.

The crash is still being investigated. Officials said it is the first fatal crash in Green Co. in 2023.

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