"Our best and brightest:" Accountants from Milwaukee killed in wrong-way, head-on crash

DANE COUNTY -- Three Milwaukee accountants were killed in a crash allegedly involving an intoxicated, wrong-way driver that happened on I-94 eastbound near Deerfield Wednesday night, November 2nd.

Officials with the Wisconsin State Patrol responded to a complaint of an SUV being driven erratically about 10:15 p.m. Wednesday, November 2nd. The SUV turned around and headed against traffic. A responding trooper was nearly hit head-on before the vehicle collided with two cars -- head-on.

According to RitzHolman CPAs officials, Kim Radtke of Milwaukee, Clenton Hall of Waterloo and Katey Pasqualini of Milwaukee, senior staff accountants at RitzHolman in Milwaukee -- all in their 20s -- died as a result of injuries sustained in the crash. Brian Falk of Whitefish Bay, a supervisor at RitzHolman, was seriously hurt in the crash.

Officials said he suffered life-threatening injuries.

RitzHolman officials said in a statement the four were returning from La Crosse, where they presented at a recruiting and networking event for UW-La Crosse accounting students when the crash happened.

RitzHolman officials said this in the statement:

A driver of the second car that was struck also died as a result of this crash. He was a 23-year-old man from Northbrook, Illinois. He has not been identified.

The driver of the SUV was identified as a 32-year-old man from Waunakee. He also suffered life-threatening injuries. He has not been identified.

Even for investigators on scene, this was a devastating accident.

"We're humans too, and when you see this kind of damage and carnage out there, it's very difficult to process. I know that my people out there that were working last night, they're professional. They're going to take care of this job," said Sergeant William Miller, Wisconsin State Patrol.

Officials with the Wisconsin State Patrol said alcohol use is suspected to be a contributing factor in this incident.