Crash kills 1; deputies seek driver of other vehicle

The Sauk County Sheriff’s Office is trying to find the driver of a vehicle that caused another vehicle to crash, killing one person and injuring another.

Deputies were called to Highway 12 in the town of Sumpter at 2:05 p.m. Thursday on a report of a single-vehicle crash.

Investigators said Duane C. French, 82, of Madison, was driving south in the left lane on Highway 12 when another vehicle passed in the right lane and moved to the left lane, cutting off French. French veered left to avoid a collision, went onto the shoulder, lost control of the vehicle, crossed both southbound lanes, left the road and struck a tree.

French and his wife, Elaine I. French, 83, were taken to hospitals by ambulance.  Elaine French died early Friday morning at UW Hospital in Madison as a result of injuries suffered from the crash.

The other vehicle did not stop after the crash. It is described as an older white Jeep with a spare tire on the cargo gate.

Anyone with information about the crash or the Jeep is asked to contact the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office or Sauk County Crime Stoppers at 888-TIP-SAUK.

The Sauk City Fire Department, Sauk Prairie EMS, Baraboo EMS and the Wisconsin State Patrol assisted at the scene.