UPDATE at 5:15 p.m. on 12/4/2025: The Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office has identified those involved in the deadly semi-truck crash on I-43 on Nov. 26.
71-year-old Thomas Paine of Johnson Creek died in the Mercedes Sprinter Van that became pinned underneath the semi.
The injured driver of the Ford Fusion, which also became pinned underneath the semi, is 29-year-old Elizabeth Long of Racine.
In the Subaru Forester, 36-year-old Luke Reynebeau and 36-year-old Michael Schulz, both from Chicago were injured. A 1-year-old in the car was not injured.
The driver of the semi-truck, 49-year-old Velazquez Medina of West Allis was not injured. He was issued citations for failure to maintain control of a vehicle and illegal crossing of a divided highway.
The sheriff’s office said the crash is still under investigation with results of a crash reconstruction and toxicology testing for Medina pending.
UPDATE at 10:30 p.m. on 11/26/2025: One person died and four people were injured in one of the crashes on I-43 Wednesday afternoon.
According to Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office, a semi-truck traveling southbound on I-43 lost control and jackknifed into the northbound lanes around 3:10 p.m.
Two northbound vehicles crashed into the semi and became pinned underneath it. The driver of a Mercedes Benz Sprinter Van died at the scene and the driver of a Ford Fusion suffered life-threatening injuries.
A third vehicle struck the semi and landed near the exit ramp to WIS 33. The three people in that car, a Subaru Forester suffered severe but non-life-threatening injuries.
It’s unclear if the driver of the semi-truck was injured.
All northbound lanes of I-43 were closed for over five hours at State Highway 33.
UPDATE at 8:50 p.m. on 11/26/2025: I-43 North has reopened at WIS 33.
UPDATE at 6:20 p.m. on 11/26/2025: I-43 South has reopened between County D and County LL.
All lanes of I-43 North remain closed at WIS 33.
PORT WASHINGTON , Wis. — Two crashes have closed two sections of I-43 near Port Washington Wednesday afternoon.
All lanes of I-43 South are closed beyond the ramp from County D near Belgium, continuing over County LL where a jackknifed semi-trailer is blocking the lanes.
All lanes of I-43 North are closed at Highway 33 near Saukville, with backups starting at N Port Washington Rd. A semi-trailer traveling southbound at WIS 33 crossed into the northbound lanes and struck multiple vehicles.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation expects the closures to last at least two hours.
