Thanksgiving winter storm turns deadly, fatal crash reported along the I-43 near Saukville, Wisconsin
At least one fatality has been reported after a fatal multi-vehicle crash along the I-43 near Saukville, Wisconsin on November 26, 2025, as the Thanksgiving winter storm created dangerous travel conditions.
Image credit: Landon Moeller
A fatal crash was reported along I-43 near Saukville at around 15:11 local time (LT), after a semi-tractor trailer jackknifed and crashed into two vehicles, killing one of the drivers.
The semi-tractor was traveling southbound on I-43 when it lost control and jackknifed on the snowy road. It then crossed the median, crashing into two cars traveling in the northbound lane. The two vehicles–a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van and a 2018 Ford Fusion–were pinned under the tractor near STH 33 in Saukville.
The Mercedes driver was pronounced dead at the scene, while the Ford driver suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to Aurora Medical Center in Grafton, said the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office.
A third vehicle–a Subaru Forester–was traveling northbound on I-43 when it struck the semi and was thrown off the roadway, coming to rest in the gore between the northbound I-43 lanes and the exit ramp to STH 33. The three occupants suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to Aurora Medical Center for urgent care.
The incident caused the northbound lanes of I-43 to be closed for about 5½ hours, reopening at around 20:35 LT on November 26.
The same storm system has been creating hazardous travel conditions across much of the Midwest, causing multi-vehicle crashes along the I-94 and I-29 near the Minnesota North-Dakota border on November 25.
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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