Complaint: Man charged in fatal crash at 27th and Locust did not have valid driver's license

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A Milwaukee man has been charged in a fatal crash at the intersection of 27 May 3.

Jaquon Benson, 25, faces the following charges:

• First degree reckless homicide
• Knowingly operate motor vehicle without a valid license-cause death
• First degree reckless injury (3 counts)
• Frist degree recklessly endangering safety
• Possession of machine gun

According to a criminal complaint, officers patrolling the area near 26^th and Center witnessed a driver, later identified as Benson, run a red light around 9:18 p.m. They learned the license plate on the vehicle was listed as stolen and began to follow the car.

The complaint says as officers got close to the vehicle, Benson darted out into the intersection and made a left turn at a high rate of speed on N. 27^th Street. Officers initiated a pursuit, and as the vehicle approached the intersection of 27^th and Locust, the car maneuvered into the southbound lane of traffic to pass five vehicles waiting in the northbound lane at a red light. The complaint says Benson drove through the red light, striking a minivan, flipping it onto its side and into another vehicle stopped at the light. A pursuing officer then reported seeing Benson get out of the vehicle and run. He was apprehended after a short foot pursuit. After returning to the suspect vehicle, police reported finding a handgun with a switch on it, classifying it as a fully automatic weapon.

Prosecutors say at the time of the collision, Benson had a passenger traveling with him who was taken to an area hospital for treatment of her injuries. The minivan that was struck had three occupants at the time of the crash -- two were taken to the hospital with injuries, and a third was pronounced dead at the scene. The complaint says the vehicle struck by the minivan also had three occupants at the time of the crash, including two children. None of these occupants sustained major injuries.

Police reviewed DOT records and learned Benson did not have a valid driver's license.

When questioned, the complaint says Benson told detectives he left a bar on Brady Street around 9 p.m. and was driving a vehicle he had purchased on Facebook Marketplace for $6,000.

He said he knew his car wasn't registered and that he didn't have a valid driver's license and he didn't want his car to get towed. He admitted that he "smashed off" in order to try to get away from the police squad.

Court records show cash bond has been set at $150,000. 

A preliminary hearing is set for May 14.