The victim of a fatal Friday night crash on Hwy. 51 has been identified as Mark J. Peterson, 45, of Merrill.
On Friday at approximately 5:53 p.m. the Lincoln County 911 Center received a report of a one-vehicle rollover crash on the Hwy. 51 northbound off-ramp to Hwy. 64 outside Merrill. It was reported that two people were trapped in the vehicle. Lincoln County deputies, Merrill Fire Department EMS, Pine River Fire Department and Pine River First Responders were dispatched to the scene.
The first deputy to arrive on scene found that three passengers were able to free themselves from the vehicle but that the driver, Peterson, was still trapped inside. Firefighters worked to extricate the driver while Merrill Fire Department paramedics worked simultaneously to perform life-saving measures inside the vehicle.
When Peterson was extracted, life-saving measures continued while he was being transported to Good Samaritan Health Center in Merrill. Ultimately, those life-saving measures were not successful and Peterson was pronounced deceased.
According to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the cause and nature of the crash remain under investigation at this time.