COTTAGE GROVE, WI (December 4, 2025) — The Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the person who died in a Thanksgiving crash in the Town of Cottage Grove. The victim was 37-year-old Timothy Baumgard of Madison.
Accident Details: The crash was reported after 9 a.m. on Thursday, November 27, near the intersection of County Highways N and MN. The Dane County Sheriff’s Office reported the crash involved a semi truck. Baumgard died from the injuries he suffered in the collision.
Traffic was rerouted for several hours as investigators reconstructed the crash.
Investigation: The medical examiner completed its forensic examination on November 28, and said additional testing is being conducted. Authorities have not released information about how the crash occurred or what factors contributed to the collision between Baumgard’s vehicle and the semi truck.
Legal Considerations: Crashes involving semi trucks at rural intersections often result in fatal injuries due to the massive size and weight of commercial vehicles. When a collision occurs at an intersection, determining which driver had the right-of-way and whether either driver violated traffic laws becomes essential to establishing fault.
Semi truck drivers must approach intersections with heightened caution due to their vehicles’ limited maneuverability and extended stopping distances. Truck drivers who fail to yield or enter intersections unsafely can be held liable for resulting crashes, along with the companies that employ them.
The fact that investigators spent several hours reconstructing the crash indicates the complexity of the collision and the need for thorough analysis. Crash reconstruction helps determine vehicle speeds, positions, and the sequence of events leading to impact.
Baumgard’s death on Thanksgiving makes this loss particularly painful for his family, as the holiday will forever be associated with his death. Wrongful death claims in commercial truck cases seek compensation for funeral expenses, lost income and support, and the loss of companionship his family will endure.
Additional testing being conducted by the medical examiner may provide further insight into the crash dynamics and any medical factors that contributed to the collision or Baumgard’s death.
Our sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Timothy Baumgard as they grieve this loss.
Source: WMTV