By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Two Janesville men die in Vernon County crash
carter curtis accident
Cody Carter, 21, and Aaron Curtis, 24, both of Janesville, died Sept. 5 following a two-vehicle crash on State Hwy. 56, near Co. Rd. K in Genoa township. - photo by Contributed/Vernon County Sheriff's Office

Two Janesville men died  Sept. 5 in Vernon County’s fifth fatal traffic accident of 2014.

Cody Carter, 21, and Aaron Curtis, 24, were both pronounced dead at the accident scene on State Hwy. 56, approximately one tenth of a mile east of Co. Rd. K in Genoa township.

According to the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office in Viroqua, at approximately 9:41 p.m., Carter lost control of his westbound vehicle while negotiating a curve just east of Co. K.

It crossed the center line,  striking an eastbound vehicle operated by Jocelyn Ann Pedretti, 18, Genoa.

Carter’s vehicle then rolled several times, coming to rest on its top in a ditch.

Pedretti was transported to Gundersen Health System in La Crosse by Tri-State Ambulance and treated for minor injuries.

Speed appeared to be one of the factors in the crash and all parties were wearing seat belts, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Vernon County Chief Deputy Nathan Campbell told the Vernon County Broadcaster of Viroqua that Carter and Curtis were in the area on a fishing trip and one of the men had local relatives.

Hwy. 56 has curves and changes in grade near Co. K.

“This is one incident where we’re lucky we didn’t have three fatalities,” Campbell said. “It was just a matter of feet and we could have had a third fatality.”

Assisting at the scene were members of the Wisconsin State Patrol, Stoddard-Bergen Fire Department, Genoa-Harmony Fire Department, Genoa-Harmony First Responders, Tri-State Ambulance and the Vernon County Coroner’s Office.

The accident remains under investigation by both the Sheriff’s Office and the State Patrol.