Crime & Safety

Man Who Died In Wisconsin 131-Car Pileup Identified

Sunday's 131-car pileup near Neenah is being called the largest traffic incident in Wisconsin history. A science teacher lost his life.

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First responders work at the scene of a chain-reaction pileup on Interstate 41 in the Neenah area in Wisconsin.
First responders work at the scene of a chain-reaction pileup on Interstate 41 in the Neenah area in Wisconsin. (Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office via AP)

WINNEBAGO COUNTY, WI — It's being called the largest traffic incident in Wisconsin History.

Authorities in Winnebago County say gale-force winds and whiteout conditions caused a massive 131-car pileup, at just after 11 a.m. Sunday, on I-41 at Highway G in Neenah.

Authorities reported that one person died in the crash, and 71 people were injured. This week, the person who died in the accident was identified as Andrew Schefelker, a 30-year-old middle-school science teacher who started a job in the Iola-Scandinavia School District in 2018.

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WBAY-TV obtained a statement from Iola-Scandinavia School District Administrator Ray Przekurat:

On February 24, 2019 Iola-Scandinavia Science teacher Mr. Andrew Schefelker died suddenly as a result of an automobile accident. Mr. Schefelker was a 30 year old teacher who was in his first year of teaching middle school and high school science. He also helped out the school with supervising activities and selling event tickets and was very involved in Boy Scouts. Our hearts and sympathies are with the family and friends of Mr. Andrew Schefelker. Counselors will be available to students and staff at the Iola-Scandinavia Middle/High School.

According to the Winnebago County Sheriff's office, the crash began just after 11:20 a.m. Sunday after authorities alerted people to stay off the roads due to high winds, blowing snow, and zero visibility on northern Wisconsin roadways.

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Winnebago County Sheriff John Matz held a press conference Sunday, saying that 66 people were treated for minor injuries as cars, trucks and semis collided one-after-another on I-41 earlier that day. Five people were admitted to area hospitals for more serious treatment, Matz said during the press conference.

Matz said, "I'm not going to be able to speculate as to what happened or what resulted in the chain of events. It's going to take us weeks to try to determine what occurred."

Matz said officials are advising the public to avoid that stretch of I-41. "It's essentially closed indefinitely," he said.

Image Via Iola-Scandinavia School Dist.

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