Complaint: Man accused in fatal hit-and-run that killed 4-year-old had relationship with mother
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A 30-year-old man has been charged in connection to the hit-and-run crash that killed 4-year-old Zekani Hymes-Wilson and injured her mother, Gloria Hymes, near Teutonia and Vera.
Donald Crayton has been charged with the following:
Hit-and-run resulting in death
Knowingly operate motor vehicle while suspended-cause death
Hit-and-run-great bodily harm
Knowingly operate motor vehicle while suspended-cause great bodily harm
Obstructing an officer
Solicitation of flee or elude an officer
The hit-and-run happened Tuesday, April 30 around 11:30 a.m. and was captured on surveillance. The video shows the car that hit the mother and daughter as they walked across the street at Teutonia and Vera to pick up a pizza order. The driver and a passenger get out and run to the woman and girl, but then the driver runs back to the car and takes off. The complaint says the passenger stayed at the scene, later riding with the mother to the hospital.
Hours after the hit-and-run, the car believed to be involved was found abandoned miles from the scene.
Tuesday night, police arrested Crayton near 72nd and North Avenue in Wauwatosa after initiating a pursuit that ended in a crash. Officers took both Crayton, the passenger in the vehicle, and the driver, 22-year-old Adriana Merkel, into custody.
Merkel is charged with fleeing or eluding an officer and second-degree recklessly endangering safety.
According to a criminal complaint, officers who responded to the scene of the hit-and-run located several car parts consistent with parts for a 2014-2020 Chevrolet Impala. Investigators later located a still camera "hit" of a black Chevy Impala from a camera on N. Green Bay Road and W. Silver Spring Road with a license plate registered to Crayton, who lived at the same address and apartment as the victims.
The complaint says investigators spoke with Gloria Hymes, who stated that she and Crayton had been dating and lived together.
Prosecutors say Merkel admitted to driving the car that fled from police in Wauwatosa. It says she described Crayton as her boyfriend and said he had called her upset and said, "he couldn't live with this on his conscience." She said Crayton didn't tell her what happened but asked her to drive him around to get clothes because he needed to "leave."
The complaint says detectives attempted to question Crayton who stated that he "feels (expletive) horrible" and he couldn't live with himself. It goes on to state that the passenger of the striking vehicle was identified as Crayton's sister, who stated that the driver was her brother and that he was driving fast. She said she saw the victims crossing the street and that Crayton swerved to try to avoid them before hitting them.
Court records show Crayton has never been issued a driver's license and that he was convicted of operating while suspended causing death in 2019, for an incident that occurred in 2018.
Crayton made an initial appearance in court on Saturday, May 4. His bail was set to $500,000.
His next court appearance is scheduled for May 14.