The Merrill Police Department is investigating a one-car fatal crash that occurred early Thursday morning in the 700 block of South Alexander Street in the city of Merrill.
The crash was reported by a passerby at 3:28 a.m., and on arrival, officers of the Merrill Police Department located a car that had gone off the roadway and into a field. It was determined that there had been four occupants in the vehicle, three of which had been ejected. Two of those ejected occupants were found to be deceased.
Killed in the crash were Jessica Hartwig, 33, of Merrill, and Misty Glisch, 31, also of Merrill. A third occupant, 24-year-old Ashley Baumann of Merrill, was flown to Aspirus Wausau Hospital via helicopter. The fourth occupant of the vehicle, 29-year-old Jerrica Woller, of Merrill, was transported to Aspirus Wausau Hospital via ambulance. The conditions of Baumann and Woller were unknown as of Thursday afternoon.
The Wisconsin State Patrol is assisting in the investigation of the crash. According to Merrill Police Chief Ken Neff, preliminary evidence indicates that speed was a factor in the crash. The investigation of the incident is still ongoing.