Milwaukee fatal crash; car wrapped around tree, 34-year-old charged
MILWAUKEE - A 34-year-old Milwaukee man is now charged in connection with a fatal crash at Locust and Hubbard on Oct. 4. The accused is Deangelo Wallace – and he faces the following criminal counts:
- Homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle
- Knowingly operate motor vehicle while suspended-cause death
According to the criminal complaint, Milwaukee police were dispatched to Locust and Hubbard around 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 4 for a vehicle crash. 911 callers indicated a vehicle (Saturn) was wrapped around a tree and people were trapped inside the vehicle.
When officers arrived on the scene, citizens standing nearby said there was a woman passenger in the vehicle, later identified as Julie Collins. Collins later died from blunt force injuries.
Fatal crash near Locust and Hubbard, Milwaukee
The driver, later identified as Wallace, was laying on the sidewalk. An officer spoke with Wallace and Wallace "admitted to driving the Saturn and claimed that he was driving only 15 mph," the complaint says.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
Scene investigators noted the "damage (to the vehicle) is consistent with a high speed impact, and not driving 15 mph," the complaint says. It also "noted tire marks that measured 130 feet long and indicated a counter-clockwise rotation of the Saturn as it traveled towards the tree that it struck."
Deangelo Wallace
A witness spoke with police and said she saw the Saturn "behind her swerving between lanes passing other vehicles as it traveled eastbound. She stated that the Saturday was traveling at a high rate of speed," the complaint says. The witness said at one point, the Saturn was following her car closely and the driver "attempted to go from the right lane into the left lane, when there wasn't enough room to safely do so," the complaint says. The witness told police she slammed on her brakes and hit the horn. She indicated "if she didn't hit the brakes her car would have been hit," the complaint says. The Saturn lose control and hit the tree.
Fatal crash near Locust and Hubbard, Milwaukee
The complaint says Wallace told a detective he "knew his license was suspended." A further check on Wallace's DOT driving record showed he had been issued an instructional permit, but never had a formal driver's license in Wisconsin.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android.
Wallace was scheduled to make his initial appearance in Milwaukee County court on Wednesday, Oct. 11.