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Man hurt in head-on 61 crash
61 semi crash
... and this milk truck collided head-on on U.S. 61 between Lancaster and Fennimore New Years Day morning. - photo by .Grant County Sheriffs Office

NORTH LANCASTER — A 21-year-old Lancaster man received severe injuries in a head-on crash on U.S. 61 early Friday morning.

Juan Pierre Lourens was taken by Lancaster EMS to Grant Regional Health Care, then to UW Hospital in Madison after the crash around 5:40 a.m.

Lourens was driving south on 61 as Russell McAllister, 32, New Vienna, Iowa, was driving a milk truck owned by R&W Transport of Cascade, Iowa. According to the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, Lourens lost control of his van, crossed the center line and hit McAllister’s milk truck head-on in the northbound lane.

The milk truck spun 180 degrees and rolled onto its passenger side in the road. The milk truck then caught fire, but McAllister was able to kick out the shield and escape.

The van ended up in the west-side ditch, and Lourens was trapped in the van until he was extricated by the Lancaster Fire Department Jaws of Life, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

U.S. 61 was closed for about eight hours during the crash investigation and cleanup.

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Stitzer/Liberty and Fennimore fire departments and the Wisconsin State Patrol.