RACINE COUNTY, Wis. (WFRV) – Overnight freezing rain conditions caused havoc on I-94 in southeastern Wisconsin, prompting a multi-hour full closure with several squad cars suffering disabling damage.
According to the Racine County Sheriff’s Office, I-94 became treacherous late Wednesday night through Thursday morning, with authorities responding to over 20 crashes multiple involving Sheriff’s Office squad cars.
Freezing rain began in Racine County just before 10 p.m. on February 5, and dispatch immediately contacted the Racine Department of Public Works to request salt trucks for the rapidly decreasing road conditions.
Deputies say the dozens of crashes included multiple spinouts, jack-knifed semi-tractor trailers, and four squad car crashes. Due to the road conditions, the Racine County Sheriff’s Office shut down both directions of I-94 for nearly four hours.
It was noted that only one crash resulted in a significant injury in which the driver suffered a broken leg after a crash into the rear end of a squad car.
However, two deputies were injured during the dangerous conditions. One deputy was injured pulling a sergeant over the center wall as a van spun out of control, “narrowly missing being crushed.” Another sergeant injured his knee slipping and falling on an icy road. Racine County Sheriff’s Office posted body camera footage of several of the incidents on its Facebook page.
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Although no deputies were in their squad cars when they were hit. Three of the squad cars suffered “disabling damage to the rear of the vehicle” and one received “damage to the push bar from an ambulance sliding into the vehicle.”
I commend the coordinated efforts between the dispatchers and the deputies on 2nd and 3rd shift. You faced very dangerous circumstances; however, your commitment and professionalism never wavered as you provided life-saving services to the community.
Sheriff Schmaling, Racine County Sheriff’s Office
No additional details were provided.
