A 37-year-old Wilton woman died and four other people were seriously injured after an SUV struck an Amish buggy from behind Friday afternoon on State Highway 131 in Monroe County, Wisconsin.
The crash happened around 3:35 p.m. Sept. 4 on Highway 131 between County Highway A and Irondale Avenue in the Town of Tomah, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators determined that the buggy was traveling southbound uphill when it was hit from behind by a 2025 Volkswagen Atlas driven by a 38-year-old woman from Tomah.
Authorities said the driver told investigators she had experienced a “sneezing fit” immediately before the crash and did not see the buggy ahead of her.
The impact left the Volkswagen driver temporarily trapped inside her vehicle. She was able to get out before being taken to a hospital for treatment. She was later released.
Five people were traveling in the Amish buggy. A 37-year-old woman from Wilton suffered critical injuries and later died at a hospital.
The four other occupants, whose ages ranged from 18 months to 24 years, also suffered serious injuries and remained hospitalized, according to the latest information released about the crash.
Emergency crews closed a portion of Highway 131 for approximately two hours while responders worked at the scene.
Several agencies assisted with the response, including the Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, local ambulance services, fire departments and the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The names of those involved have not been released.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision and has offered condolences to the families and communities affected by the crash.
