Milwaukee fatal hit-and-run victim identified, change sought
Milwaukee fatal hit-and-run victim identified, change sought
Milwaukee police said they are still looking for a suspect connected to a fatal hit-and-run Monday that killed a pedestrian. Family and the medical examiner's office have identified that pedestrian was 24-year-old Nora Winkles.
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee police said they are still looking for a suspect connected to a fatal hit-and-run Monday that killed a pedestrian. Family and the medical examiner's office have identified that pedestrian was 24-year-old Nora Winkles.
Nora Winkles
What they're saying:
Family described Winkles as a dreamer. Despite growing up without much guidance at home, she was forced to find her own way in the streets, often staying at Dedicated Hearts Homes, an assisted living facility on Milwaukee's north side.
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Deadly Milwaukee hit-and-run sparks calls to address reckless driving
A hit-and-run on Milwaukee's Teutonia Avenue killed a 24-year-old and injured another person who tried to help. Nearby residents are demanding speed humps, stop signs, and traffic-calming measures near a nearby school.
"She is full of life, she loves dancing, she loves poetry, she always talked about getting married," Desirea Carrington-Mallet, a family member, said.
"We all just took turns, helping her, caring for her, when she needed the help," Shaniqua Kahill, another family member, said.
Until one night, she did not return home.
Nora Winkles
"I called the group home and was like 'Go downstairs to Nora's room to see if Nora is downstairs.' They were like, 'she didn't come,' I'm like 'what do you mean she didn't come. When Nora says she's coming in, she's coming in,'" Darrius Chesser, another family member and manager at the group home, said.
Teutonia and Ruby hit-and-run
The backstory:
Milwaukee police said a vehicle traveling along Teutonia Avenue near Ruby Avenue hit Winkles and drove off. It happened at around 11:15 p.m. Monday, Sept. 7.
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A 44-year-old witness jumped in to help Winkles, but that is when a second vehicle came and hit both of them. Winkles' family said the person who helped Winkles when she was hit was 44-year-old Curtis Brooks, who they said was a close friend.
"They don't have no idea what they took, she was almost there," Carrington-Mallet said.
Deaths at intersection
Big picture view:
Records show Winkles is the fourth person killed after being hit by a car at the intersection of Teutonia Avenue and Ruby Avenue in the past five years.
1st District Ald. Andrea Pratt's efforts to make the area more safe include cutting trees, adding lights and speed humps. Now, she said, raised crosswalks will be added at the intersection within the next year, but more accountability from law enforcement is needed.
Milwaukee fatal hit-and-run sparks calls to address reckless driving
People who live along one of Milwaukee’s main north-south thoroughfares say the city and elected leaders need to do more to address reckless driving on their stretch of roadway, which has again taken the life of one person, and injured another who came to their aid.
"If it means the person driving recklessly doesn't get to have a car, if it means the person who drives recklessly doesn't get to have a license, I am more than willing to accept that over having to go to a funeral for a 24-year-old who was just trying to cross the street and get home," Pratt said.
FOX6 News reached out to Milwaukee police about if they have a plan to address reckless driving along Teutonia Avenue. In a statement MPD wrote:
"The safety of our community and the preservation of life are priorities for Milwaukee Police. Reckless driving and traffic safety remain ongoing priorities for MPD, which continually analyzes crash data, reckless driving offenses and other relevant information to identify problem areas and strategically deploy resources.
"MPD’s Traffic Safety Unit works collaboratively with the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office and Wisconsin State Patrol on targeted, data-driven traffic enforcement. These efforts are intended to address reckless driving, reduce crashes and increase enforcement visibility in areas where it is needed.
"MPD will continue to evaluate Teutonia Avenue, including the area between Roosevelt and Courtland, and adjust enforcement efforts based on the data. While no enforcement strategy can prevent every crash, our goal is to proactively address dangerous driving behaviors and reduce the likelihood of serious and fatal crashes."
Police tips
What you can do:
Anyone with information is asked to call MPD at 414-935-7360; to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 414-224-TIPS or use the P3 tips app.
Editor's note: This story was updated after Winkles was identified as the victim.
Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6's Andrew Amouzou and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from the Milwaukee Police Department, Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office and Pratt. FOX6 News also interviewed Carrington-Mallet and Kahill.