Tire blowout blamed for fatal Shawano County crash

TOWNSHIP OF WITTENBERG, Wis. (WBAY) - Authorities say one man is dead and three people are injured following a crash in Shawano County.

According to the Shawano County Sheriff’s Office, a report of a crash involving a vehicle towing a travel trailer camper on State Highway 29 and State Highway 45 came in at 4;40 p.m. Friday.

The Sheriff’s Office says a witness reported seeing a tire blow out on the camper as the westbound vehicle approached the State Highway 45 and Clintonville exit.

That’s when authorities say the driver lost control of the vehicle and the camper, causing a rollover. The Sheriff’s Office says both the vehicle and the camper caught fire.

According to authorities, multiple citizens stopped to help, and were able to get three people out of the vehicle, including a 57-year-old Greenville area woman and two young Clintonville boys. The exact ages of the boys were not immediately released.

The Sheriff’s Office says all three were injured and burned, adding the degree of their injuries weren’t available.

The three victims were flown to hospitals to be treated for their injuries.

However, the driver - identified by the Sheriff’s Office as a 56-year-old Greenville area man - died due to the crash.

The names of the crash victims have not been released as of this time.

Although the crash is still being investigated at this time, the Sheriff’s Office says based on witnesses and evidence at the scene, the cause is believed to be related to the tire blowout on the camper.