Milwaukee fatal crash; Juan Felix-Avendano sentenced, 22 years prison
MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee County judge sentenced Juan Felix-Avendano on Friday, Jan. 5 to 22 years in prison plus another eight years of extended supervision in connection with a fatal crash that happened on New Year's Day 2023.
A jury found Felix-Avendano guilty in November 2023 of six charges against him. During Friday's sentencing hearing, the court dismissed three of those charges (on a state's motion) prior to handing down the final penalty.
Case details
Prosecutors said Felix-Avendano was drunk and high on meth when he slammed into a vehicle carrying a Menomonee Falls family to church. The crash killed Craig Schimming, 52. Schimming was in the front passenger seat. His father, 76, was driving, and his mother, 78, was a passenger in the back seat. They were taken to the hospital in critical condition in the ICU with life-threatening injuries.
Prosecutors said Felix-Avendano admitted to drinking and smoking crystal meth before the crash. He, too, was injured.
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Milwaukee police responded to the crash near 98th and Good Hope the morning of Jan. 1, 2023. Two vehicles were involved – a Volkswagen driven by Felix-Avendano and a Toyota.
The speed limit on Good Hope where the crash happened is 40 mph. It is believed that Felix-Avendano rear-ended the Toyota at a high rate of speed; his car had severe front-end damage, and its speedometer was stuck at 110 mph. An open bottle of beer was on the driver's floorboard and a beer can was in the back seat, the complaint says.
Felix-Avendano was also taken to a hospital for treatment of his injuries, where an officer noted he "appeared to be intoxicated." At the hospital, Felix-Avendano's blood was drawn for evidence, the complaint states; the state crime lab found his BAC was .147.
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In an interview with police, the complaint says Felix-Avendano told investigators he had two drinks before getting into his car and had two more "on his way home." Once home, after he hung up with his wife in Mexico, he said he smoked crystal meth and drank "about four" beers before continuing to drink but could not remember how much. He said he did not recall leaving the house but recalled the accident and getting out of his wrecked car. Asked if he was responsible for the crash, he said "yes." He also admitted he never had a driver's license.