NEW INFORMATION: Flight For Life responds to Highway 20 accident

BY JOURNAL TIMES STAFF

Tuesday, June 24, 2008 10:39 PM CDT

STURTEVANT — Flight For Life took a Racine woman to a Milwaukee area hospital following a four-vehicle crash that was reported at 5:20 p.m. in the eastbound lanes of Highway 20 just east of 92nd Street.

Heidi Lopez, 34, who was driving a Ford Escort that was rear-ended by a Chevrolet Suburban, was initially unconscious after the crash, Sturtevant police and fire officials said. But Police Chief Sean Marschke said just after 9:30 p.m. Tuesday that Lopez had been treated and released from Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital in Wauwatosa.

None of the other drivers were injured, police and fire officials said.

Marschke said after Lopez’s car was struck by the Suburban, driven by Donald Schatzman, 71, of Racine, the Escort plowed into a Honda SUV driven by Heather Kerkman, 49, of Franksville, which in turn struck a Kia, driven by Jason Chapin, 30, of Racine.

Schatzman’s vehicle ended up in the grass ditch between the east and westbound lanes of Highway 20. Lopez’s car was extensively damaged. The other two vehicles remained on the road.

Stephen Raclaw, a driver/operator with the Sturtevant Fire Department, said it took approximately 10 minutes to free Lopez from the car.

Marschke said Schatzman was cited for inattentive driving.

Eastbound traffic on Highway 20 was rerouted while the crash scene was cleared and investigated, causing an extensive backup.

Mount Pleasant police and firefighters assisted Sturtevant crews at the crash scene

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