River Falls man dies in two-vehicle crash
NEW RICHMOND – St. Croix County recorded its seventh traffic fatality of the year after an early morning, two-vehicle crash at the intersection of County Road G and T in Erin Prairie Township on July 31 left one man dead and another injured.
Sixty-six year old William R. Eubank of River Falls was killed when the car he was driving crossed in front of a pickup truck being driven by Brain C. Swanepoel, 36, New Richmond at approximately 6:25 am on Wednesday, July 31.
A St. Croix County Sheriff’s Department press release stated that Swanepoel, driving a 1997 Ford Ranger pickup, was westbound on County Truck Highway G when it struck a 1999 Honda Odyssey driven by Eubank, who was attempting to cross Highway G while traveling north on County Truck Highway T.
According to eyewitnesses, Eubank had stopped at the stop sign on CTH T and then proceeded into the intersection where he was struck by the Swanepoel truck. Both vehicles came to rest on the northeast side of the intersection. Eubank’s Honda Odyssey came to rest on its top while Swanepoel’s Ford Ranger ended up on its side.
Authorities do believe that weather may have been a factor in the crash as heavy fog was reported in the area by sheriffs’ deputies when they arrived at the accident scene.
Swanepoel was transported to Westfields Hospital in New Richmond with unspecified injuries. Eubank was pronounced dead at the scene by the St. Croix County Medical Examiner’s Office. Both drivers were wearing seat belts when the crash occurred.
New Richmond Fire and Rescue and New Richmond EMS provided emergency services for the accident which remains under investigation by the St. Croix Sheriff’s Department.
