RIDGEWAY, WI — A Village of Ridgeway firefighter died Friday night after a multi-vehicle crash on USH 18/151 in Iowa County, according to investigators. Authorities said the 48-year-old man, identified as Collin E. Giddings, was ejected after his vehicle left the roadway, re-entered eastbound traffic, and was struck by two other vehicles.
The Iowa County Communications Center received the first call around 8:41 p.m. reporting a vehicle in the ditch near Mile Marker 55 in the Village of Ridgeway. Dispatchers then got a second report that a person had been hit at the crash scene. Iowa County Coroner Wendell Hamlin pronounced Giddings dead at the scene.
Investigators say the crash began when the Honda left the road
The initial reconstruction shows Giddings was driving a 2001 silver Honda Accord eastbound when it left the roadway and went into the ditch. Investigators say the car then came back onto the eastbound lanes, where it was hit from behind by a 2012 gray Chevrolet Silverado.
The truck was driven by Cody Anderson, 22, of Verona, according to authorities. After that impact, the Honda was struck again by a 2017 green Toyota Prius V driven by Julia Allen, 61, of Fitchburg. Officials said Giddings was thrown from the vehicle during the collisions.
The Iowa County Sheriff’s Office and Wisconsin State Patrol are still investigating what caused the crash and the sequence of events leading up to it.
Firefighter remembered as a long-serving member of the Ridgeway department
Sheriff Mike Peterson later posted on Facebook that Giddings was a member of the Ridgeway Fire Department. The department also confirmed his death in a Saturday Facebook post.
The department said Giddings served for more than 22 years. That detail added a painful local dimension to the wreck, which took the life of a public safety volunteer known to many in the community. No additional information about memorial plans or department response was included in the posts.
Officials have not released further details about the circumstances that led to the car leaving the roadway.
Two other drivers were evaluated after the collision
Anderson was treated at the scene and released, investigators said. Allen was taken to Upland Hills Health and later released with non-life-threatening injuries.
Authorities said the crash forced eastbound USH 18/151 to shut down while emergency crews investigated and cleared the roadway. The closure lasted several hours overnight as responders worked the scene and the investigation continued.
No other injuries were reported, and officials have not said whether road conditions, speed, or another factor may have contributed to the wreck.
Highway reopened after an overnight closure near Mile Marker 55
Eastbound traffic reopened around 2:14 a.m. Saturday, according to officials. The shutdown centered near Mile Marker 55 in the Village of Ridgeway, where the sequence of crashes unfolded late Friday.
The Iowa County Communications Center played a key role in relaying the initial emergency calls as the situation evolved from a report of a car in the ditch to a fatal crash with a person struck at the scene. That early response helped emergency crews reach the location quickly, but Giddings was already dead when the coroner arrived.
The Wisconsin State Patrol and Iowa County Sheriff’s Office are continuing to investigate.
What officials have confirmed so far about the fatal wreck
So far, investigators have confirmed four key points: Giddings’ car left the road, returned to the eastbound lanes, was hit by two other vehicles, and he was ejected in the collision. They have also confirmed the crash happened Friday night on USH 18/151 near the Village of Ridgeway.
Authorities have not said why the Honda left the roadway in the first place. They also have not announced any citations or charges, and the investigation remains active.
For now, the crash is being treated as a fatal traffic investigation involving multiple vehicles, a long-time firefighter, and a prolonged overnight highway closure in Iowa County.
