Yadriel Villegas-Rivera
MILWAUKEE - A 20-year-old Milwaukee man is accused of firing multiple shots and wounding a man after a car crash on the city's south side on Feb. 23. The accused is Yadriel Villegas-Rivera – and he faces the following criminal counts:
- First-degree recklessly endangering safety
- Endanger safety by use of a dangerous weapon (discharged firearm into vehicle or building)
- Sell/possess/use/transport machine gun
- Resisting an officer
- Misdemeanor battery
Crash and shooting
What we know:
According to the criminal complaint, Milwaukee police responded on Monday morning, Feb. 23, to a two-car accident near 6th and Scott. After officers were dispatched to the scene, a person called 911 saying his friend was shot. Officers located the 17-year-old victim near 8th and Washington, just a couple of blocks from the original crash scene. The victim told officers "he was in a car accident and had just been shot," the complaint says. The victim suffered graze wounds to shoulder and back. He was taken to Children's Wisconsin for treatment of the injuries.
Scene near 8th and Washington
Later, officers interviewed the victim, who admitted he collided with a gray vehicle near 6th and Scott. He said when he got out of his car after the crash, "he was aggressively approached by the driver of the gray car, later identified as the defendant, Yadriel Villegas-Rivera, who was holding a firearm with an extended clip. (The victim) stated that the defendant hit him and pushed him to the ground," the complaint says. The victim also said the defendant hit him with the firearm. When the victim got into his car to drive away from the scene, he told police "he heard six shots and realized he was shot," the complaint says.
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Captured on video
Dig deeper:
Investigators recovered surveillance video which shows the accident and the shooting. It showed the victim attempting to pass a silver car on its right side. As the victim clears the right lane, he collides with the defendant's car.
Scene near 8th and Washington
Officers located 20 9mm spent casings near the area where the defendant was seen shooting. When observing the surveillance video, the complaint says "muzzle puffs can be seen in very rapid succession. Based on the extended clip in the defendant's handgun, the video surveillance showing extremely rapid gunshots and the fact 20 casings were ejected in a few seconds of firing, the defendant was utilizing a fully automatic firearm equipped with an auto-sear," the complaint says.
The defendant returned to the scene. When officers attempted to detain the defendant, the complaint says he began to run. He was arrested a few blocks later. The complaint says the "defendant ignored officers' commands to stop and then refused to comply with orders to place his hands behind his back taking a total of five officers to place him in custody. He did not have a firearm on him."
What they're saying:
In an interview with police, the defendant "admitted that the person shooting on the video is him," the complaint says. The defendant told police the victim "presented a firearm and point it at him," but that was not consistent with the surveillance video, according to police.
Court appearance
What's next:
Villegas-Rivera made his initial appearance in Milwaukee County court on Thursday, Feb. 26. Cash bond was set at $50,000.
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Villegas-Rivera is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on March 4.
The Source: Information in this post was provided by Wisconsin Circuit Court Access and the criminal complaint associated with this case.