Bloomer man killed, 5 injured in head-on collision on Hwy. 64

BLOOMER — A 32-year-old Bloomer man was killed in a head-on collision on state Highway 64 Saturday night.

According to a news release from the Chippewa County sheriff’s department, Derek J. Thompson of Bloomer was killed when the 2014 Chrysler Town & Country van he was driving collided with a 2007 Chevy Suburban driven by Chad A. Sommer, 36, of Bloomer at around 9:46 p.m. April 23.

Four other passengers in the van also were injured: 28-year-old Brittany J. Thompson of Bloomer; 49-year-old Sandra L. Lowe of Bloomer; 24-year-old Blaine R. Seibel of Minneapolis; and 22-year-old Jessica L. Kleinhans of Menomonie.

The accident occurred just north of Bloomer on Highway 64 in the Town of Bloomer about one-third of a mile east of 102nd Street.

According to the Chippewa County sheriff’s department, the vehicles were traveling in opposite directions and collided at some point.

Derek Thompson was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.

Brittany Thompson, Lowe, Seibel, Kleinhans and Sommer were transported with injuries to local hospitals.

The Chippewa County sheriff’s department, Bloomer police department, Wisconsin State Patrol, Chippewa County coroner’s office, the Bloomer fire department, Bloomer first responders, the Bloomer ambulance service, Cornell ambulance, Chippewa Falls EMS, the Mayo 1 helicopter and the North Memorial helicopter all responded to the scene.

The Chippewa County sheriff’s department and the Wisconsin State Patrol were still investigating the cause of the accident at press time.

Derek Thompson was a special education teacher in the Bloomer school district.

According to his webpage on the Bloomer school district website, Thompson was a graduate of Bloomer High School, attended UW-Eau Claire where he earned a degree in special education, and was in his fourth year as a member of the Bloomer High School staff.

Thompson noted in his biography that his wife, Brittany, is a school counselor.