Editor’s note: The following story has been published with permission from the Janesville News Report. The publication’s website is here: https://janesvillenewsreport.newztream.com/.

By Dan Plutchak/Janesville News Report

Authorities say three people are dead and for others injured in a crash Saturday near Whitewater.

Rock County Deputies, Jefferson County Deputies, Whitewater Police Department, Wisconsin State Patrol along with several fire/EMS agencies responded to a three-vehicle crash at Highway 12 and East County Line Rd in Lima Township, Rock County.

In a news release, investigators said they believe a passenger van was eastbound on East County Line Road approaching Highway 12.

The driver of the passenger van did not adhere to the stop sign entering the intersection, according to the Sheriff’s office.

There was a passenger SUV, with the right of way, southbound on Highway 12. The front of the SUV collided with the driver side of the van in the intersection.

As they collided a truck pulling a fifth wheel trailer hauling hay was northbound on Highway 12. The driver side of the trailer collided with the front of the van. During the crash two adult females and one adult male were ejected from the van.

Those three subjects were later declared deceased on scene.

The female adult driver of the van sustained non-life-threatening injuries as did the adult male driver of the SUV. The driver of the truck was uninjured.

There were four additional passengers thfrom the van that were transported to nearby hospitals.

One of them, an adult female, was transported via Med Flight with life threatening injuries. The other three, two adult males and an adult female, have severe but non-life-threatening injuries.

The Rock County Sheriff’s Office will be the primary investigating agency for the crash.

At this time no criminal charges have been filed as a result of the crash and the investigation is ongoing.

The names of the deceased will be later released by the Medical Examiners Office.