VERONA, Wis. — Five people, including two from the Twin Cities metro area, died Friday in a crash that Wisconsin authorities called "horrific."
According to the Dane County Sheriff's Office, it happened shortly after 11 p.m. in the town of Verona. The driver of a 2016 Model S Tesla was traveling on Range Trail when officials say they left the roadway and struck a tree.
The vehicle became fully engulfed in fire, the sheriff's office said in a press release. All five of the people in the car were pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined.
The names of the victims have not been made public, but the sheriff's office said two of the people involved were a man and a woman, both 48, from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. The other people in the car were from Crandon and Belleville, Wisconsin.
In light of this crash and another in the county, authorities are reminding all drivers to give their full attention on the road.
"The Sheriff’s Office alone responded to two crashes that resulted in seven fatalities. Our hearts go out to the families and friends of the victims who are mourning the untimely loss of their loved ones. Please give driving your full attention to reduce crashes and make our roads safer," said Sheriff Kalvin Barrett in a release.
Another crash in Dane County, Wisconsin this weekend on U.S. Highway 51 left two 23-year-olds dead in the Village of Windsor.
The town of Verona is about 11 miles southwest of Madison.