Tomah man identified in fatal Monroe County crash

Sheriff's Office: Driver was making U-turn when struck by another vehicle

TOWN OF BYRON, Wis. (WKBT) — The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office released the name of the man who died in a fatal crash on Wednesday.

Daniel A. Krofta, 55, of Tomah, died from a crash on Highway 21 just west of Highway 173 in the Town of Byron.

The person who suffered non-life threatening injuries was 63-year-old Judith Rudolph from Tomah.

PREVIOUS STORY (Thursday, November 6):

One person is dead and another injured following a crash in Monroe County Wednesday night.

According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, a person driving a Ford Windstar was eastbound on State Highway 21 just west of Highway 173 in the Town of Byron when they hit a deer. After hitting the deer, the driver pulled over to the side of the road and started a U-turn in order to turn around and look for the injured animal.

While the Windstar was making the U-turn, a Chevrolet Avalanche also heading east on Highway 21 collided with it, crashing into the driver’s side door. The impact of the crash carried both vehicles into the ditch on the north side of the road.

The driver of the Windstar making the U-turn had to be pulled from the vehicle by Tomah Area Rescue. They were taken to Tomah Memorial Hospital, where the individual later died from his or her injuries.

The driver of the Avalanche was also taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The names of both drivers aren’t being released until families can be notified.

The crash closed WIS 21 in both directions between WIS 173 and Eureka Road for more than two hours Wednesday night.