The Milwaukee County medical examiner believes the pickup truck that struck and killed a 49-year-old woman and critically injured her son was traveling as fast as 100 mph. Police have arrested a Milwaukee man for causing the accident and charged him with vehicular homicide.
Authorities say the 41-year-old suspect who is said to have been involved in the fatal accident may not have realized he was the subject of a police pursuit. Officers reported seeing the truck speeding excessively eastbound along Greenfield Avenue. A police chase ensued, although officers say the truck was moving so fast that the pickup driver had a quarter-mile head start.
The pedestrians became victims of the fatal accident at South 14th Street and West Greenfield Avenue on a Sunday night. A woman and her son were walking in a crosswalk when a 1995 Chevy truck hit them.
The woman who was killed in the accident was walking closer to the speeding vehicle. Investigators say the mother took the brunt of the high-speed impact and died from multiple fractures to her spine, skull, ribs and legs. The victim’s son suffered extensive injuries and was transported to Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa, where his condition is listed as critical. According to a news report, the boy’s sister said she wasn’t sure if he would survive.
The driver of the truck did not stop at the accident scene, but continued on until the truck crashed. The suspect apparently tried to run away and reportedly jumped into Milwaukee Harbor. Officers eventually arrested the man.
While police work on the criminal aspect of this tragic case, the family of the woman and her son may be entitled to compensation if the man’s behavior is found to be negligent. They may be able to recover damages for medical bills, lost income, funeral expenses and pain and suffering.
Source: Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel, “Truck was speeding when it killed pedestrian, police say,” Gitte Laasby, Nov. 7, 2011
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