Accidents and slide-ins keep emergency responders busy Wednesday

A return to winter road conditions led to a number of accidents and slide ins in Lake County on Wednesday.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to an injury accident on Wednesday afternoon south of Madison.  Just before 4:00 Wednesday afternoon, the accident was reported on 454th Avenue, south of 235th Street. The Sheriff’s Office reports that 25-year-old Jarid Zajic of Montrose was driving a 2007 Nissan Murano south on 454th Avenue, when the driver lost control and slid into the northbound lane, striking a pickup head-on.  The 2003 Chevrolet pick-up was driven by 63-year-old Wayne Westerberg of Madison. Both drivers were transported to Madison Regional Health for non-life threatening injuries, and both vehicles are listed as a total loss. The Sheriff’s Office says charges are pending in the accident.

Earlier on Wednesday, just after 8:00 a.m., the Sheriff’s Office responded to a two-vehicle accident southeast of Rutland.  A 14-year-old male was driving a 2001 Chevrolet pickup northbound on 463rd Avenue and was unable to stop at the intersection with 228th Street, colliding with a vehicle traveling west on 228th Street.  That vehicle was a 2010 Chevrolet Impala, driven by 56-year-old Kathleen Trower of Dell Rapids. No injuries were reported in that accident.

The Sheriff’s Office reports that also on Wednesday, between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., there were three separate reports of semi tractor-trailers immobilized on three different roadways – 444th Avenue and 235th Street, 444th Avenue and 236th Street, and Highway 34 and 461st Avenue.

Assisting the Sheriff’s Office Wednesday with the various weather-related incidents were the Madison Police and Fire Departments, and the Madison Ambulance.