Scott Township, WI – Authorities are searching for the driver of an SUV that allegedly struck a Columbia County highway department employee before fleeing the scene Monday morning.
According to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred at approximately 8:20 a.m. Monday, July 27, while a highway department employee was performing road maintenance on Barry Road in Scott Township.
Investigators said a passing vehicle made slight contact with the highway worker. Fortunately, the employee was not injured.
The sheriff’s office said the driver briefly pulled over after the collision but then left the scene before deputies could identify the vehicle. No license plate information was obtained.
Authorities described the suspect vehicle as a tan or gold SUV with a missing passenger-side mirror. Investigators believe the mirror was knocked off during the collision with the highway worker.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information about the identity of the driver or the vehicle to contact Columbia County Dispatch at 608-742-4166, extension 1, and reference Case No. 26-23117.
Officials also used the incident to remind motorists to use extra caution when driving through work zones and around emergency or roadway maintenance vehicles.
“The people on our roadways have families waiting for them — drive safe,” the sheriff’s office said in its public statement.
The investigation remains ongoing.
