Police release names in HWY 16 fatal crash

MONROE COUNTY, Wis. — The Monroe County Sheriff’s Department has released the names of the victims of the fatal crash on Highway 16 in the Township of Adrian Friday morning.

Lois McCollam, 49, of Tomah, died at the scene from the injuries she received in the crash. Robert McCollam-Dye, 8 months, died later at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse as a result of his injuries.

The sheriff’s department says Terry McCollam, 47, was driving westbound downhill on Highway 16 when he attempted to pass another vehicle. He noticed on-coming traffic and tried to get back into the westbound lane.  Authorities say that’s when he lost control of the vehicle, fishtailed and went into on-coming traffic, striking the eastbound vehicle head-on.

Lois McCollam was the front seat passenger in the westbound car. She was wearing a seatbelt. Robert McCollam-Dye was in a car seat in the back of the vehicle.

Terry McCollam was wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash. He was transported to the Mayo Health System, Sparta Campus. Luke McCollam, 20, was sitting in the back seat and was not wearing a seatbelt. He was taken to the Tomah Memorial Hospital.

Brittany JA Taylor, 32, of Warrens, drove the eastbound vehicle. The sheriff’s department says she was wearing her seatbelt at the time of the crash. Taylor was extracted from her vehicle and transported to Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse by Med-Link.