Head-On Crash Shuts Down Highway 51

January 08, 2026
Elise Schaffer, PIO, (608) 284-6142
Sheriff's Office

At 5:04 am today, Dane County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a head-on crash on U.S. Highway 51 near Tower Road in the town of Dunkirk.
Witnesses reported seeing a GMC pickup truck lose control and cross the center line, colliding head-on with a Volkswagen Jetta. Both drivers were pinned inside their vehicles with serious injuries. UW MedFlight transported the driver of the GMC pickup to UW Hospital, while the driver of the Jetta was transported to St. Mary’s Hospital by Lakeside EMS.
Members of the Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Team and Crime Scene Unit responded to investigate the incident. Preliminary findings suggest that slippery road conditions may have contributed to the crash. Highway 51 was closed in both directions for about four hours while deputies conducted their on-scene investigation.