After deadly Highway 95 crash in Wisconsin, bystander rescues toddler from wreckage:-HATFIELD, WIS. – On his way to work on Friday morning, Nathaniel Jahn came to a familiar crossroads and saw something that he will remember for the rest of his life.
On Highway 95 in central Wisconsin’s Clark County, a semitrailer truck carrying a tankerload of milk crashed into a passenger van that had turned into its path. It was one of the deadliest accidents in the history of the state. Nine people were killed, including both drivers. Seven of the dead were from an Amish village in Virginia who were in Wisconsin to visit family.
After deadly Highway 95 crash in Wisconsin, bystander rescues toddler from wreckage
At the scene of the accident, Jahn rushed over to the cars and heard a whimper and a cry coming from under the truck. The only person who lived through the terrible crash was a 2-year-old boy. He was thrown out of the van.
He got the little boy out of the wreckage and into safety. Micah Schrock, the boy, was supposed to be released from a hospital in Marshfield to family members who were coming from Virginia.
A young woman who looked like she was barely living was next to the boy. There was nothing else Jahn could do but try to go back and save her and anyone else he could. The police showed up and told him to stay away. The van caught fire because there was too much damage.
This is something Jahn, from Neillsville, had never seen in Wisconsin before. He had served two tours with the Marines in Iraq.
A land researcher named Jahn said, “I think God put me there for a reason.”
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‘They’ve made an indelible imprint on on our community’
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office has not released the names of the people who died in the crash, as well as the name of the truck driver who died. There is, however, a helpline set up by the Amish community that lists the names and ages of the eight deaths from Virginia.
That van was driven by James McCoy, who was about 45 years old and from Pounding Mill, Virginia. Some of the other people in the van were Lydia Byler, 24, Ellen Schrock, 23, Orlah Schrock, 24, Judy Rose Schrock, 6 months, Delilah Schrock, 21, and Suzanna Hertzler, 18.
The information line says they were going to Stillwater Ministries for an open house and were coming back with a family member. McCoy, who had driven them around a lot, took them on the long trip. Monte Hansford, who lives in the Burke’s Garden neighborhood, said that this is something that Amish families often do.
The village of Burke’s Garden is located in a bowl-shaped valley cut out of the top of a mountain, which is known as “God’s Thumbprint.” It’s home to about 300 people, including 14 Amish families, who are “very well-loved and respected,” according to Hansford.
Hansford said, “They’ve left an indelible mark on our community.” His youth group has come to his house twice or three times to sing “Happy Birthday” to his mother-in-law. The group sings Christmas songs for people who can’t leave their homes.
Mourners visit memorial at scene of the crash
Jahn and his family put a cross at the accident site on Sunday afternoon. He was still very scared.
Early on, a small group of Amish also showed up to pay their respects. Around the same time, eight simple, small wooden crosses were put there, not far from where flowers and another wooden cross had been put by other people. It said, “Liddy, you will be missed.” Always be friends with them.”
In addition to making people feel sorry for the victims, Jahn hopes the crosses will remember people to be extra careful at that intersection.
“Maybe it will make people pay more attention,” he said. “Maybe it will also force someone to do something to make the corner more visible.”
On her way to the scene, Marcie Parker, 58, of Black River Falls, also stopped to pray.
She said, “You can’t even think of or say the words to describe how sad this is.” “I know it’s causing this neighborhood to fall apart.”
In the summer, 5,000 people live in Hatfield, a tourist town, but only about 50 people live there in the winter. In this area, Amish families run a lot of small businesses, such as gardens, dairy farms, lumber mills, and furniture shops.
Lori Bixby, who owns the Deer View bar in Hatfield, said, “They’re an important part of the community.”
“They do a lot of work for people here,” she said, repeating what other people who came to the crash site on Sunday said: “What happened was just horrible.”