Police detail March fatal crash at Raymond Road and South Gammon; commissioners flag speeding and intersection design

The Madison Police Department told the Transportation Commission on July 9 that a March 6, 2025 crash at Raymond Road and South Gammon Road killed a 68‑year‑old woman who was attempting a left turn and left two grandchildren in the car unharmed.

Lieutenant Hannah summarized the department’s investigation: the driver waiting at South Gammon for a left turn onto Raymond was struck in a T‑bone collision by an outbound vehicle. Police said the suspected striking vehicle — a 2021 Mazda SUV with one occupant — was speeding, with the vehicle’s event data recorder showing approximately 90 miles per hour, and the driver admitted to consuming alcohol; investigators found cans of an alcoholic beverage in the car. The suspect was arrested and the case is with the district attorney’s office.

Police said conditions were clear and the roadway dry. The driver of the struck vehicle and the suspect were both reported wearing seat belts; the victim succumbed to injuries despite airbag deployment, the lieutenant said. Results of toxicology and other pending tests were not specified at the meeting.

Public comment and local concerns: Earlier in the meeting a nearby resident, William Herzog of Muirfield Bridal, had urged the commission to reconsider a proposed relocation of a bus stop from Muirfield Road to Raymond Road, saying the move would create a “blind left‑hand turn” at an already dangerous intersection. Hannah’s report identified the same intersection where the March fatality occurred.

Commission discussion: Commissioners pressed department and city traffic staff on enforcement and engineering responses. Tom Moore said the planned Raymond Road reconfiguration (the Midtown connection) is scheduled on the city’s project list for 2030; commissioners discussed whether that timeline will eliminate the problematic intersection as currently configured. Lieutenant Hannah and aldermen discussed enforcement thresholds, with the police saying stops tend to target speeds about 15 mph over the limit for practical and court‑related reasons. Hannah noted the department’s traffic unit and community policing teams are assigned traffic enforcement projects but said available hours vary by shift and staffing.

Grants and enforcement locations: Police explained that some enforcement operations are run under grants shared with Dane County and therefore occur on county/city shared roadways (examples cited included Park Street and East Washington Avenue). Other pedestrian and bicycle safety grants are managed locally and can be deployed on city roadways such as Atwood Avenue.

Ending: Commissioners asked police for additional breakdowns of enforcement activity and test‑unit results in future quarterly reports. The commission also noted longer‑term engineering work on Raymond Road and asked staff to continue coordinating on near‑term safety outreach and enforcement.