Milwaukee man charged in fatal hit-and-run crash at 23rd and Greenfield: 'Didn't want to go back to jail'

Jeremaya Gross



MILWAUKEE -- 21-year-old Jeremaya Gross now faces a criminal charge in association with a hit-and-run crash on Milwaukee's south side on Saturday, Oct. 19. The victim, 68-year-old Roy Mendez, died from his injuries days after the incident.

Gross is charged with a single felony count of hit-and-run - resulting in death.

The hit-and-run crash happened around 7 p.m. on that Saturday at the intersection of S. 23rd Street and W. Greenfield Avenue. The incident was captured by surveillance cameras -- and showed the moments leading up to impact. Afterward, the video shows the driver did not slow down or even hesitate -- continuing eastbound on Greenfield.

Man struck by hit-and-run vehicle near 23rd and Greenfield, Milwaukee



Man struck by hit-and-run vehicle near 23rd and Greenfield, Milwaukee



Roy Mendez



Mendez was left for dead in the street. He died on Wednesday morning, Oct. 30 while at Froedtert Hospital.

The criminal complaint against Gross says investigators "located a front grill piece of a vehicle at the crash scene, and was able to locate a serial number from that car part." Officials say the part belonged to a 2003-2006 Honda Accord. The complaint says five days later, "MPD located a vehicle of that make and model that had damage consistent with the accident (a shattered front passenger windshield) and was missing that piece of the grill." The vehicle identification number for the car was "registered to the defendant, Jeremaya Gross."

The complaint says Gross admitted to an investigating officer that he was driving the Honda, "hit someone and did not stop because he didn't want to go back to jail."

If convicted, Gross faces up to 25 years in prison and $100,000 in fines. Gross was expected to make his initial appearance in court on Friday, Nov. 8.