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UPDATE: Janesville man's injuries not life-threatening in Interstate crash

By Ann Marie Ames ( Contact )   March 8, 2008 - 5:29 p.m.

FULTON TOWNSHIP--A Janesville man received non life-threatening injuries when he crashed into a guardrail on Interstate 90/39 and ended up in the Rock River on Saturday morning.

An Edgerton man helped the injured man out of the icy water.

Richard A. Yate, 67, crashed his white Chevrolet Lumina car into the guardrail in the westbound lane of Interstate 90/39 at mile marker 164 near the Newville exit at 10:15 a.m.

Justin Gorniak, Edgerton, used a set of jumper cables to help Yate out of the river, he said.

β€œI was the one that fished him out,” Gorniak said. β€œIt was pretty cold.”

To get to the water, Yate broke through a thin layer of ice that stretched two feet from the bank.

Dispatchers said a passer-by reported the car was on fire, but Wisconsin State Patrol Sgt. Greg Jenswold could not confirm that Saturday afternoon.

For reasons unknown to Jenswold, Yate made his way more than 50 yards down the bridge embankment, across Ellendale Road and into the river under the bridge.

Yate was transported to Edgerton Hospital, Jenswold said. Emergency room staff would not comment on his condition, but Jenswold said he could have been released as early as Saturday evening.




reader COMMENTS (16)
gazettefan
Mar 9, 2008 at 4:14 p.m.
Suggest removal

Now, saving drowning people can be added to the attributes of jumper cables.

Good thing they weren't hooked up to Justin's battery.

tinkerb45
Mar 9, 2008 at 3:46 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
helly27
Mar 9, 2008 at 1:33 p.m.
Suggest removal

Fulton....Milton....who cares? Is anyone concerned about what caused the accident?
Or maybe if Yate is ok??

haaseman27
Mar 9, 2008 at 1:10 p.m.
Suggest removal

Ummmm, as previously stated, my information was wrong. As I said everytime I responded to that area it was listed as Milton township. If you are going to argue over 1/4 mile of territory I find it a bit funny. Have fun and enjoy getting your anger out on the internet.

Long_Time_Gone
Mar 9, 2008 at 12:37 p.m.
Suggest removal

haaseman27 - when you are proven wrong, just stymie yourself. You are embarrassing your mother and children with your arguementative ignorance.
*
100% of Ellendale Road is in Fulton Township. 100% of Rock River Leisure Estates is in Fulton Township. And a sliver of Mallwood is also in Fulton Township, not to mention your own posted map shows Hillside Road to the Dane County line is in....Fulton Township.
*
Now, why don't you ride East, off into the sunset.

aames
Mar 9, 2008 at 11:59 a.m.
Suggest removal

Reporter Ann Marie Ames here.

Thanks, deweeze, for pointing out my mistake. Now that I've looked at two maps more closely, I see I was wrong. It was indeed in Fulton Township.

As to the question about the patrol officer ... I spoke with Sgt. Jenswold, a commanding officer who had not been on the scene. He was reading to me from the accident report, which was not complete. The officer on scene had to go home before finishing the report in order to avoid overtime, Jenswold said.

If the report is finished today, we'll get the rest of the story.

Thanks for reading and commenting.
Ann Marie

haaseman27
Mar 9, 2008 at 11:37 a.m.
Suggest removal

Well sorry to inform you but, I respond to utility locates in the area, Rock River leasure estates is located on Ellendale road, It is listed as Milton township when I recieve a work order. Also anything east of the interstate is also listed this way. But if you get so worked up on the listing of a township get a life! haha. I laugh at people like you who sit on the internet all day just looking for someone elses mistake. You should probably become a writer for the paper yourself? Since your knowledge of the area is so vast.

deweeze
Mar 9, 2008 at 11:28 a.m.
Suggest removal

Haaseman27, I think you better go back to grade school to learn how to read a map and to learn what direction N,S,W,E are. Yes Hillside, Mallwood, and Maple Beach are in Milton Twsp. but Ellendale Rd is in Fulton Twsp. Hence that is why Edgerton EMS was called. If it was Milton Twsp Milton EMS would have been called. I live in the neighborhood and know what I am talking about.

And yes it upsets me. God forbid if the Gazette ever reported anything correct. They need to be told when they have it wrong.

outspoken
Mar 9, 2008 at 11:02 a.m.
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Haaseman27, Not wanting to get in an argument, but just so you dont get lost in your travels, you may want to look closer at your supplied map. If in doubt, review the county plat book. Your close.

haaseman27
Mar 9, 2008 at 10:52 a.m.
Suggest removal

deweeze, is that really something to get so upset about? Also you are incorrect. Ellendale road is considered milton township, even north of highway 59 into hillside and maplebeach area is considered Milton township. Also I included a map for your viewing pleasure.

http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/travel/maps...

debkk04
Mar 9, 2008 at 9:48 a.m.
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It just said he couldn't confirm not that he couldn't tell. Thanks to Justin this man was saved and that should be the focus.

brickee
Mar 9, 2008 at 7:06 a.m.
Suggest removal

maby the officer wasnt really there

DanHartung
Mar 9, 2008 at 1:11 a.m.
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The State Patrol *Sergeant* is probably a shift commander based in Madison, not the officer on scene, and hadn't yet seen the written report.

suzy50
Mar 8, 2008 at 11:37 p.m.
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shouldn't we commend the man who help save the guy who was in the water and stop putting the balme ALWAYS on then State Patrol!

nutty
Mar 8, 2008 at 11:15 p.m.
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The state patrol officer couldn't look at the car to tell if it was burned or not? Is he blind?

deweeze
Mar 8, 2008 at 10:31 p.m.
Suggest removal

Once again... Someone better look at the township maps. Ellendale Rd and the bridge are in FULTON TOWNSHIP not Milton.

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