All three victims killed in a fiery Wauwatosa crash involving a Milwaukee DPW truck have been identified
All three adults killed after 10 vehicles, including a Milwaukee Department of Public Works heavy-duty pickup truck, were involved in a fiery crash near Wisconsin Avenue and Mayfair Road in Wauwatosa have been identified.
The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office on Wednesday identified Paul Woida, 85, of Milwaukee and Amy Miller, 40, of Cedarburg as drivers and sole occupants of two of the vehicles involved. The third victim, the 64-year-old DPW driver, was identified by the medical examiner's office on Thursday as Denise Durrah of Milwaukee.
Woida was pronounced dead at the scene, an investigative report from the medical examiner's office said, and Miller succumbed to her injuries shortly after being taken to Froedtert Hospital. The ME's office did not provide additional details about Durrah's death.
The cause of death for all victims is still pending, said Medical Examiner's Office Operations Manager Karen Domagalski. Autopsies were completed Wednesday.
Two additional people were taken to a hospital with unspecified injuries, said Wauwatosa Police Chief James MacGillis.
The DPW truck was involved in another minor crash at Watertown Plank Road shortly before it continued at estimated speeds of 60 to 70 mph southbound on Mayfair Road. (Wauwatosa Police on Wednesday could not confirm how fast the car was traveling.) Durrah made no attempt to slow down as the truck drove into oncoming traffic that was stopped at a red light, ultimately leading to the multi-vehicle collision, according to the report.
Three vehicles caught fire upon impact, prompting numerous bystanders to help before first responders arrived. They successfully removed Woida from his car before it caught fire, the report said. Four of the 10 vehicles hit are "completely destroyed," according to the report.
Bystanders also attempted to remove the Durrah from her truck before it caught fire, but were unsuccessful, the report said.
Both the first responders and the bystanders who offered help deserve recognition, said Wauwatosa Mayor Dennis McBride.
"The accident on Mayfair Road was a tragedy for everyone in metro Milwaukee," McBride said. "It reminds us all how short and precious life can be."
All north and southbound lanes on Highway 100 from Watertown Plank Road to Wisconsin Avenue were closed around noon Tuesday, but have since been reopened, according to police.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson on Wednesday said he did not have information on whether a medical issue could have caused the crash.
“That's still under investigation,” he said when asked about the crash at an unrelated press conference.
The spokesman for the city's Department of Public Works did not answer questions about what the truck was used for, or why Durrah was in Wauwatosa.
The crash is still under investigation. The police department asks that any bystanders who witnessed or captured video of the crash contact the Wauwatosa Police Department’s Crash Investigation Unit at 414-471-8430.
Alison Dirr and Sophie Carson of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.
Quinn Clark can be emailed at QClark@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @Quinn_A_Clark.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Paul Woida, Amy Miller, Denise Durrah victims in fatal Wauwatosa crash
