Man killed in wintry Saukville I-43 crash

One man was killed and four others severely injured last week when a semi tractor-trailer skidded in snowy weather on I-43 near the Highway 33 exit in Saukville.

According to an Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office press release, the crash occurred just after 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 26,  when the semi driver, traveling south on I-43, lost control and the truck jack-knifed. 

The semi crossed the median and traveled into the I-43 northbound lanes where it was struck by two vehicles, a 2013 Mercedes Benz Sprinter van and a 2018 Ford Fusion. 

The semi came to a rest in the northbound lanes, blocking both lanes of traffic.

The two northbound vehicles became pinned underneath the semi.

The driver of the northbound Mercedes Benz Sprinter Van suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the Ford Fusion suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to Aurora Medical Center in Grafton.

A third vehicle, a Subaru Forester, was traveling north and struck the semi and came to rest in the grassy area between I-43 and the exit ramp to Highway 33. 

The Forester was occupied by three people who sustained severe, but non-life-threatening injuries, according to the press release.

All three occupants were transported to Aurora Medical Center in Grafton.

The driver, of the Mercedes Sprinter Van was identified as Thomas Paine, 71, of Johnson Creek. 

The Ford Fusion driver was Elizabeth Long, 29, of Racine. The Subaru Forester driver was Luke Reynebeau, 36, of Chicago, his front seat passenger was Michael Schulz, 36, also of Chicago and a 1-year-old child passenger in the rear seat was uninjured.

The driver of the semi, Jose Velazquez Medina, 49, of West Allis, was uninjured. He was issued citations for failure to maintain control of a vehicle and illegal crossing of a divided highway.

Paine’s family founded and operates the Milwaukee-based Tree-Ripe Fruit Co.

The I-43 northbound lanes were closed for approximately 5-1/2 hours while first responders worked the crash scene. Traffic was diverted at Highway 33. 

The northbound lanes of the freeway were reopened just after 8:30 p.m.

Responding agencies included the Saukville, Port Washington and Grafton police departments, Wisconsin State Patrol, Ozaukee Central, Port Washington, Waubeka, Southern Ozaukee and Fredonia fire departments, Ozaukee County Emergency Management and Ozaukee County Crash Reconstruction Team.

This crash remains under investigation pending the results of the crash reconstruction and toxicology testing of the semi driver.