Star Journal Report

One person was seriously injured after a two-vehicle crash Thursday morning in the Lincoln County town of Pine River. At 7:34 a.m., a patrol truck from the Lincoln County Highway Department reported the crash on US 51 south of WIS 64, near Merrill.

The investigating deputy determined that a southbound SUV being driven by a 70-year-old Marinette County man turned into the path of a second southbound vehicle in the opposite lane. The second vehicle, a Ford F250 pickup truck was being driven by a 36-year-old Merrill man.

The Marinette County man was trapped in his vehicle and needed to be removed by firefighters. He was flown directly from the scene by the MedEvac helicopter to the trauma center at Aspirus. His injuries are considered serious.

The driver of the other vehicle and his seven-year-old female passenger were not injured.

US 51 was either closed, or restricted to one lane for about an hour-and-a-half.

Alcohol and speed are not factors; it is not known what caused the Marinette County man to turn into the other lane; the incident remains under investigation.

Responding agencies included the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Merrill Police Department, Lincoln County Highway Department, Merrill Fire Department and EMS and the Pine River Fire Department and First Responders.