PEWAUKEE, WI – Two 10-year-old boys tragically lost their lives following a car crash late Wednesday, as revealed by the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department. The driver, their father, was escaping a traffic stop at a high speed when the chase ensued and ended in a catastrophic crash. The father and two other children are in critical condition following the accident.
The event reportedly unfolded around 11:49 pm when a sheriff’s deputy pulled the driver over because of speeding and a missing license plate. However, rather than complying, the driver sped away from the scene. A high-speed pursuit ensued, eventually ending in a disastrous crash in a town about 11 miles distant from the location of the traffic stop.
The sheriff’s department confirmed that the accident was not a result of a collision with law enforcement, and that the vehicle crashed independently. Overhead visuals depicted an apparent sedan lying on its side after the crash.
Along with the two deceased children, the vehicle carried four other occupants– the driver and his 29-year-old girlfriend, a 6-year-old girl, and a 14-year-old girl. All four sustained injuries from the crash. According to the sheriff’s department, the driver is currently critical but stable at a hospital, both children are critical, and the other adult is stable.
The Wisconsin State Patrol will conduct an investigation into the traffic incident. As Severson highlighted, so far, there has not appeared to be any misconduct on the deputies’ part.
While the identities of those killed and injured remain undisclosed by the sheriff’s office, it was reported that the driver had an existing warrant for bearing a firearm as a felon. It was further clarified that the driver fled the traffic stop scene at high speed before the deputies could have any interaction with him.
The chase was initiated in Pewaukee, a city near Milwaukee with approximately 15,000 residents, and led up to the crash occurrence in Delafield, situated about 11 miles to the west. Along with the Wisconsin State Patrol’s investigation, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office will be reviewing the incident to ensure transparency.