Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent
A fourth-grade Clintonville student was killed in a traffic accident early Sunday near Barron.
Alex Olmsted, 9, son of Jerald and Lisa Olmsted, of Clintonville, attended Rexford-Longfellow Elementary School. He was a passenger in a vehicle driven by his father when it was hit by another vehicle.
Guidance counselors were at the Clintonville school Monday to assist students and staff.
Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald said his department received a call of a car vs. semi accident on state Highway 8 west of Barron about 4 a.m. According to the initial investigation, a car driven by Nicholas Rogalla, 22, of Rice Lake, was traveling east on Highway 8 when it crossed the center line and struck the semi, carrying a tanker of milk, driven by Jerald Olmsted, 48.
Olmsted’s semi overturned and slid into the ditch. Alex Olmsted was pronounced dead at the scene. Jerald Olmsted was taken by ambulance to Luther-Mayo Hospital with severe injuries. Rogalla was taken to Mayo Hospital Barron with injuries that were not life-threatening.
The highway was closed for 8½ hours. The crash remains under investigation.
Fitzgerald said Tuesday that alcohol was not a factor in the accident.