TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
A two-vehicle crash on Friday, Apr. 2, at approximately 1:45 p.m., claimed the life of 35-year-old Stephanie A. Yonke of Merrill. The accident occurred in the Town of Corning.
According to a release from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, preliminary investigation shows that a pickup truck, traveling eastbound on State Hwy. 64/107 near Farmingdale Rd., crossed over the center line and struck Yonke’s car, which was traveling westbound. She died at the scene.
Yonke is the mother of two sons. Her youngest child, age 6, was in the vehicle at the time of the crash and was transported to Wausau Aspirus Hospital by ambulance, where he was treated and later released.
The driver of the pickup truck was transported by Life Link III helicopter to Wausau Aspirus Hospital. To date, the Sheriff’s Department has only identified him as “a 20-year-old man from Colby, Wis.” His condition has not been released.
Both lanes of the highway were closed, and traffic was detoured around the crash scene, for nearly eight hours on Friday. The scene was cleared and re-opened to traffic at 9:40 p.m.
In addition to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department, Merrill Fire Department EMS, Corning Fire Department, Life Link Helicopter, Lincoln County Coroner’s Office, the Wisconsin State Patrol, Lincoln County District Attorney’s Office, and Lincoln County Highway Department all assisted at the scene.
The crash is still under investigation, and a trooper from the Wisconsin State Patrol Technical Reconstruction Unit is assisting.