Pedestrian struck, dies: Milwaukee man now charged in crash
Christdon Gordon
MILWAUKEE - A 23-year-old Milwaukee man is accused of striking a pedestrian on Teutonia near Roosevelt. That pedestrian died from her injuries. The accused is Christdon Gordon – and he is now charged with a single count of knowingly operate motor vehicle without a valid license-cause death.
According to the criminal complaint, Milwaukee police responded to the area near Teutonia and Roosevelt around 5:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 7 for a "traffic incident where an injury was reported." When they arrived on the scene, officers located a woman lying in the middle of Teutonia. Despite lifesaving efforts, the woman was pronounced deceased on the scene -- and later identified by authorities as Jacklyn Roark.
The complaint says investigators "observed a black Pontiac G6 slightly to the south of where Roark's body was lying. The Pontiac had significant damage to the windshield, mainly on the driver's side of the vehicle."
Pedestrian struck near Teutonia and Roosevelt, Milwaukee
Officers made contact with Gordon, who was still on the scene when police arrived. The complaint says Gordon stated "he was driving the passenger in his car to work and stated he had a green light and initially denied hitting Roark, stating that there was another car driving in front of him as he drove southbound, and that car was swerving into him." When the officer asked Gordon if he hit Roark or the other car, and the defendant stated "the other car caused all of this," and "she hit the car, and she hit me." When the officers asked more questions, Gordon "stated that the other car hit him and that he hit Roark, but that it was not intentional," the complaint says.
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Police spoke with Gordon's passenger, identified as his girlfriend. The woman told investigators "there was a dark blue vehicle driving recklessly, making sudden lane changes and swerving back and forth," the complaint says. The woman stated they "feared for their safety," so Gordon sped up to pass the vehicle near Teutonia and Ruby. In doing so, the woman stated "as they passed the dark blue vehicle it made another lane change and struck their vehicle near the rear passenger's side, at which time their Pontiac struck Roark," the complaint says. The woman told police "once she realized the defendant hit a person she told him to stop."
Pedestrian struck near Teutonia and Roosevelt, Milwaukee
According to the complaint, police later conducted a Mirandized interview with Gordon. He "reiterated there was another vehicle that was swerving as it drove, and that the next thing he knew Roark was standing in the road, and he did not have time to react, and the defendant admitted that he struck Roark." The defendant also "acknowledged he did not have a license but denied knowing he had a suspended license."
Online records indicate Gordon made his initial appearance in Milwaukee County court on Saturday, Sept. 10. Cash bond was set at $2,500, and he is due back on Sept. 16.