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Eddie and Jeanne Fredrick of Viroqua, along with longtime friends, Linda and Amy Erickson, had made their maiden carriage voyage to Westby with a new surrey and a pair of Norwegian Fjord draft horses, to participate in the 40th annual Westby Syttende Mai parade on Sunday, May 19 when tragedy struck at 12:45 p.m.

While the Fredricks were making a practice run out West State Street, just prior to the 1:30 p.m. parade, a faulty neck yoke broke causing the cart the foursome were riding in to rear-end and spook the horses. The horses then veered toward a utility pole on the north side of the road. As the surrey leaned to the right the fringe clipped the utility pole flipping the surrey, which detached the horses, throwing all occupants out before the horses made a dead run west.

Three of the four occupants were transported to Vernon Memorial Heathcare in Viroqua,

Eddie Fredrick, who was operating the surrey, was later transported to St. Franscis Hospital ICU in La Crosse, for treatment of a collapsed lung, bruised heart and dislocated shoulder.

Amy Erickson of Broadhead, Wisconsin, who was also seated on the driver’s side of the four-seat surrey, was also seriously injured suffering from internal and external injuries.

Jeanne Fredrick was treated and released from the hospital with bumps and bruises, while Linda Erickson of Janesville, Wisconsin, was not injured in the accident.

Responding to the scene were members of the Westby First Responders, Tri-State and La Farge Ambulance services, Westby Police Department, Westby-Christiana Fire Department and the Wisconsin State Patrol.