Fatal street racing crash, Milaukee man gets 10 years in prison
Michael Howard
MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after a street racing crash killed two people in 2021.
A jury found 26-year-old Michael Howard guilty of two counts of second-degree reckless homicide and two counts of knowingly operating a motor vehicle while suspended causing death.
The crash at 76th and Silver Spring happened on Aug. 15, 2021. A criminal complaint said Howard was sitting behind one of two vehicles involved. He told officers he was driving "about 55 mph" when he collided with the victims' car as it tried to turn.
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The occupants of that car, a 21-year-old woman and a 66-year-old man, died as a result of injuries sustained in the crash.
Several citizens witnessed the crash – including an off-duty firefighter. That witness, per the complaint, told police he saw "a silver Infiniti and a red car that appeared to be racing one another between traffic lights." The firefighter said he "saw the two cars swerving through traffic lanes, traveling through the parking lanes, and cutting off other motorists while traveling at speeds he estimated to be in excess of 80 mph." He also said to his daughter "that the two drivers were going to kill someone." After the crash, the off-duty firefighter attempted to help the injured motorists.
Fatal crash near 76th and Silver Spring, Milwaukee
Two other witnesses gave similar accounts of the incident.
When questioned by police, the complaint states Howard "said he was driving his silver Infiniti and was racing his friend in a red car." They were northbound on 76th Street "traveling at a speed (Howard) estimated to be about 70 mph." Howard said as he approached Silver Spring, he "slowed to what he believed to be 50 mph." The speed limit for traffic on 76th Street at the crash location was 35 mph.
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Wisconsin Department of Transportation records show Howard's driver's license was in a suspended status. The complaint said, since 2017, Howard "has been found guilty of operating after suspension seven times, three of which were in 2021."
In addition to prison time, Howard was sentenced to 10 years of extended supervision.