One person is dead and another injured after a Saturday morning rollover crash in southwestern Portage County.
Sheriff’s investigators say 28-year-old Ashley Suit from Wisconsin Rapids lost control of her Eagle Summit while westbound on Highway 54 at 12:17 a.m. She was partially ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene. 27-year-old Kenneth Stivers was riding with Suit. He was flown to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield for treatment. Investigators say Stivers’ injuries are not life-threatening.
Portage County Chief Deputy Daniel Kontos says their Technical Crash Investigation Team is doing more investigation, but it appears that alcohol and failure to use seat belts are contributing factors in the crash and the driver’s death. An autopsy will be performed to see if there were any other possible causes.
The crash happened near 90th Street, about a mile from the Wood County line. Wood County Sheriff’s Department deputies, the Grand Rapids Fire Department, United Ambulance, Plover Fire Department, Ministry Spirit medical helicopter, and Grant Emergency Medical Responders assisted at the crash scene.
This is the third fatal traffic crash and fourth fatality on Portage County highways in 2014.
WSAU