Truck leaks fuel over 25-mile stretch in Washington County

Germantown - A truck leaked diesel fuel as it crossed Washington County on Tuesday morning, its drip marks catching the attention of a sheriff's deputy north of Richfield, and slick pavement at the intersection of Mequon and Pilgrim roads in Germantown drew the complaints of motorists a few minutes later, authorities said.

A driver for Fisher Truck Services of Germantown observed the fuel leak at state Highways 67 and 60 in Dodge County as he was driving between Horicon and Hartland, Washington County Sheriff's Detective Lt. Robert Konstanz said.

The driver decided to return the truck to the company's repair shop in Germantown, so he turned east on Highway 60, beginning a trail of leaked fuel that would take him through Hartford and Slinger to U.S. Highway 41, Konstanz said.

He drove south on 41 to state Highway 145, where he turned east and drove through the series of roundabouts in the Town of Polk near the Cabela's outdoor gear store.

A sheriff's deputy spotted drip marks on pavement at the roundabouts at 8:28 a.m. and followed the diesel trail into Germantown.

Nine minutes later, motorists at Mequon and Pilgrim roads started calling the village Police Department to complain of an oily substance covering the pavement, Police Chief Peter Hoell said.

A village Highway Department crew was dispatched to the scene and removed the substance, Hoell said.

The roughly 25-mile trip ended safely - with no crashes reported - as the deputy caught up to the truck and driver at the Fisher shop, N104-W13075 Donges Bay Road.