Traffic was detoured for a few hours after a motorcycle crashed with a SUV.

The Sparta Police Department says 18-year-old Trent Mueller of Sparta was riding the motorcycle on Highway 16 at about 1:30 Thursday afternoon, when he hit the SUV, driven by a Melrose man. Mueller wasn't wearing a helmet. He was eventually flown to a La Crosse hospital with potentially life-threatening injuries. The driver of the SUV was not hurt. Investigators say speed contributed to the crash.

Highway 16 traffic was detoured for about 3 hours.

About an hour an a half later, Sparta Police were called to a two vehicle crash on Highway 27 on the city's south side.

The Chief of Police says a vehicle driven by 26-year-old Tasha Calhoun of Viola didn't stop at a red light. She collided with a vehicle driven by 41-year-old Timothy Wegner of Bangor. Wegner was eventually airlifted to La Crosse.

Calhoun and her passenger were taken to a Sparta hospital.