LANSING, Iowa (AP) -- Iowa and Wisconsin authorities have closed access to a Mississippi River bridge because of a roadway washout on the Wisconsin side that led to a fatal crash.
Crawford County Sheriff Dale McCullick says another driver witnessed the washout and the accident around 4:20 a.m. Tuesday on Iowa Highway 82, which runs to the Black Hawk Bridge over to Lansing, Iowa. The victim's body was recovered in his vehicle around 8:30 a.m. He was identified as 59-year-old James Walleser, who lived in Lansing.
McCullick says Walleser's vehicle plunged into the washout chasm and then into river channel water east of the bridge.
Motorists who want to cross the river can go north to La Crescent, Minnesota, opposite La Crosse, Wisconsin, or south to Marquette, Iowa, opposite Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.
PRAIRIE DU CHEIN, Wis. (CRAWFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT NEWS RELEASE) -- On Tuesday, May 30, 2017, at approximately 4:22 a.m., the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department received an emergency call regarding a traffic accident that occurred on STH 82 approximately one-half mile west of STH 35 in the Township of Freeman.
James Walleser (Age 59) of Lansing, IA., was operating a 2000 Jeep eastbound on STH 82. He entered onto a bridge span coming from Lansing Iowa side on his way to work. As Walleser exited the bridge span his vehicle entered an area of the roadway that had washed out causing his vehicle to fall into the river. Walleser’s vehicle was completely submerged. The highway surface appeared to have been under-cut due to the high water; ultimately, causing the highway surface to erode and fall into the river. There was a witness who was a quarter mile behind Walleser who contacted the Sheriff’s Department
Emergency responders arrived on scene, immediately closed the highway, and started working on extracting Walleser’s vehicle from the river. Milo’s Towing Service with the assistance of the La Crosse County Dive Team were able to extracted Walleser’s vehicle from the river.
Walleser was located in the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. The vehicle had extensive front end damage. An autopsy will be performed today in Madison.
The Crawford County Highway Department began the process of repairing the roadway shortly after the vehicle was removed from the scene. STH 82 will remain closed between STH 35 and Lansing until further notice.
The following agencies were assisting at the scene; De Soto Fire / First Responders, Ferryville Fire / First Responders, Lansing Fire / First Responders, Lansing Police Department, Allamakee County Sheriff’s Department, Wisconsin Department of Nature Resources, US Fish & Wildlife, La Crosse County Dive Team, Milo’s Towing Service, Crawford County Highway Department, Iowa State Patrol, and Wisconsin Department of Transportation. The Grant County Dive Team was held on standby incase (sic) needed.
LANSING, Iowa (AP) -- Iowa and Wisconsin authorities have closed access to a Mississippi River bridge because of a roadway washout on the Wisconsin side that led to a fatal crash.
Crawford County Sheriff Dale McCullick says another driver witnessed the washout and the accident around 4:20 a.m. Tuesday on Iowa Highway 82, which runs to the Black Hawk Bridge over to Lansing, Iowa.
The victim's body was recovered around 8:30 a.m. No name has been released.
LANSING, Iowa (AP) -- Northeast Iowa authorities have closed access to a Mississippi River bridge at Lansing because of a highway washout on the Wisconsin side.
Deputy Marc Myhre of the Crawford County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday that a section of the Wisconsin Highway 82 approach to Black Hawk Bridge has washed out in the high water. Myhre says it's estimated that repairs could take up to a week.
The river gauge at Lansing shows the water has dropped nearly a foot since cresting Saturday morning at more than 14 feet (nearly 5 meters) -- well below flood stage of 17 feet (more than 5 meters).
Motorists who want to cross can go north to La Crescent, Minnesota, opposite La Crosse, Wisconsin, or south to Marquette, Iowa, opposite Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.
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La Crosse, WI (WXOW) - A Lansing, Iowa man is killed in a washout of a portion of the highway between De Soto and Lansing Tuesday morning.
Authorities recovered the body of James Walleser, 59, inside his 2000 Jeep around 8:30 a.m. along Highway 82 between the two cities.
The washout happened around 4:22 a.m. at Henderson Bridge over Henderson Slough.
Crawford County Sheriff Dale McCullick tells WXOW a driver, who was about a quarter mile behind Walleser, witnessed Jeep cross the bridge. Both vehicles were headed from the Iowa side towards Wisconsin. After the Jeep crossed the bridge, the road collapsed underneath the vehicle and fell into the river. Walleser's vehicle was completely submerged in the water.
Emergency responders arrived and started getting Walleser's vehicle out of the river. Members of the La Crosse County Dive Team assisted with the recovery. Sheriff McCullick said the Jeep had extensive front end damage.
Walleser was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy is planned for Tuesday afternoon in Madison according to the sheriff.
In his 26 years of sheriff, McCullick said he has never seen anything like this.
Early investigation of the washout, according to the sheriff, shows that the road surface appeared undercut by high water. That led to to the highway surface to erode and fall into the river.
The sheriff estimated the hole from the washout to be 8 to 10 feet deep. The washout is located on the eastbound lane of the east side approach to the bridge, not the bridge itself. Transportation officials on the scene tell WXOW the bridge itself is structurally sound.
The sheriff said Crawford County highway crews are hoping to have the road reopened possibly by the weekend. The Crawford County Highway Department is at the washout working on repairs.
The closure forces drivers to detour to two other places to cross the Mississippi River, either at La Crosse/La Crescent or down to Prairie du Chien/Marquette.