3 die in crashes after rain washes away road in central Wisconsin

NEILLSVILLE, Wis. — Authorities say three people died in crashes after heavy rain washed away a 50-foot stretch of highway in central Wisconsin road.

Clark County Chief Deputy Jim Backus says a passer-by discovered two vehicles in the large hole in a county road near Neillsville, about 50 miles southeast of Eau Claire, early Thursday. Authorities say a pickup truck carrying two people crashed into the hole, then another vehicle with one occupant crashed into the same hole. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.

Backus says it's not clear when the crashes happened so investigators can't say if it was raining at the time.

He estimates the area got about 3 inches of rain in the past day.

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