JANESVILLE, Wis. (AP) -- A van carrying 14 young people selling magazine subscriptions door-to-door overturned on a highway Thursday, killing six passengers and injuring the others. Witnesses said bodies were strewn over the highway.
The victims, all between 16 and 21, had been heading to a hotel in Janesville when the accident happened about 12:30 a.m. along Interstate 90, 70 miles southwest of Milwaukee, said Sgt. Brad Altman of the Wisconsin State Patrol.The driver apparently lost control of the van, which was going at least 80 mph, Altman said. It veered off the right side of the road, came back onto the pavement, then rolled twice and came to rest in the middle of the highway, Altman said. Charges were pending against the driver, Altman said.
Twelve people were thrown from the van. Six were pronounced dead at the scene, and six others had critical head injuries. The victims were not wearing seat belts.
"It was a horrific scene," Altman said.
The van had no license plates, the state patrol said.
The young people were selling magazines for an organization called Yes, state patrol Lt. Varla Bishop said.
The victims were from Wisconsin, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, West Virginia, Massachusetts and Florida, Altman said.