Vernon County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a 41-year-old rural Genoa man Oct. 31 for operating a motor vehicle (OWI) while intoxicated after a two-vehicle, head-on crash on Hwy. 35 just south of the village.

According to press release from the Sheriff’s Office in Viroqua, at approximately 11:15 p.m.,  Benjamin Smith was driving southbound when his vehicle crossed the center line and struck a northbound vehicle driven by Paul Johnson, 50, rural De Soto.

Smith’s vehicle continued down the highway and eventually overturned in the northbound ditch, coming to rest on its roof.
Smith had a laceration to his head and refused medical treatment on the scene. He was arrested for OWI, first offense.

Johnson was transported by Tri-State Ambulance to Mayo Health System-La Crosse for precautionary reasons.

Assisting at the scene were the Genoa-Harmony First Responders, Genoa-Harmony Fire Department and Tri-State Ambulance.

The accident remains under investigation.