Campaign staffer breaks arm, media members injured after crash involving press pool traveling with Gov. Tim Walz to Laborfest

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- About a dozen people were injured Monday afternoon, Sept. 2, when three vehicles in Governor Tim Walz's motorcade were involved in a crash on 794 in Milwaukee.

The Democratic nominee for Vice President was traveling from Mitchell International Airport to Henry Maier Festival Park for Laborfest.

Walz's vehicle was not involved in the crash, and neither he nor his wife were among those injured.

But the crash is raising more questions about safety protocol at the US Secret Service - 794 was not closed down when the crash happened, meaning the vehicle carrying Walz was driving alongside regular traffic on Milwaukee streets.

One of our CBS 58 crews was in the press pool and among those injured in the chain-reaction crash. They were banged up but ok.

The Secret Service avoided our direct questions about the security protocol designed to keep the candidates safe.

Shortly after 1 p.m., emergency dispatch radioed emergency responders to say "We're getting multiple 911 calls, who believe that there's been a major accident."

It was a major accident, but for the most part, the injuries were minor.

Responders on the scene said, "I have a female with a pretty bruised leg. And then I have a male bleeding from the nose and a messed up arm and shoulder."

A Walz campaign staffer was hospitalized with a broken arm, everyone else involved was treated at the scene.

It was supposed to be a fairly simple trip, north from the airport, over the Hoan Bridge, and into Henry Maier Festival Park.

Our chief political reporter Emilee Fannon and photographer Jon Jenkins were among the local reporters who joined the press pool.

When Walz's plane landed, he and his wife, Gwen, were greeted on the tarmac by Congresswoman Gwen Moore.

The Walzes got into a vehicle near the front of the motorcade, Moore got into another, and reporters got into vans further down the line.

The caravan headed for Laborfest, but because 794 was not shut down to traffic, cars were still on the road.

Just before the crash, a car switched lanes and inadvertently broke up the motorcade.

Fannon later described the scene, saying, "Once we realized that the highway wasn't closed, we tried to speed up to try and reach the other portion of the motorcade."

The first press van crashed into the car. The second press van slammed into the first.

A first responder radioed, "Believe it was for some sort of motorcade or some sort of detail. I saw them go through."

Fannon said, "You're all trying to stay in the same line. And sometimes when there are other people on the roadways not knowing what's going on, that appeared to be the mishap of what happened when all the cars did collide."

But even after the crash, 794 was still open.

A responding officer told dispatch, "We could use three, to take information. Also, we need, really need Cudahy to shut this down."

We asked the Secret Service direct questions about the protocol for securing roads, if there are different plans for different protectees, and how often protectees are on roads that are open to traffic.

The Secret Service did not answer any of the questions, only sharing a basic statement summarizing what happened.

Later at Laborfest, the crash was the first thing Walz addressed when he took the stage, saying, "President Biden and Vice President Harris called to check in. And we certainly appreciate their concern."

Most of the press pool continued on to the event, including our Emilee Fannon and Jon Jenkins.

After Governor Walz wrapped up his speech, his motorcade went to the area hospital to check on the staffer who suffered the broken arm.