MPD squad cars involved in multiple crashes in 1 night

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) vehicles were involved in two separate crashes that happened roughly one-hour apart Monday night, Oct. 28. Both crashes happened while MPD was involved in vehicle pursuits.

Mercedes Sandoval was celebrating her daughter's birthday when she heard the crash.

“They’re lucky, because that is dangerous.” said Sandoval, owner of Birrieria El Torito. “It’s very, very loud.”

Surveillance video from Sandoval‘s restaurant shows a Milwaukee police squad pursuing a vehicle around 5 p.m. on S. 11th Street and W. Greenfield Avenue. This, shortly after two MPD vehicles involved in the pursuit crashed into each other.

“Everyone go to outside and that’s when I see that two officers had an accident in different cars,” said Sandoval.

Sandoval says bystanders nearby jumped to avoid being run over during the crash.

A 34-year-old male was arrested and according to MPD, the vehicle was determined to be stolen. Law enforcement officers also recovered illegal narcotics.

Three officers were sent to a local hospital with non-fatal injuries.

“Everybody is asking what happened, what happened, because it’s weird to see two police cars have a crash like that,” said Sandoval.

One hour later, MPD was pursuing another vehicle on W. North Avenue and N. Sherman Boulevard. Surveillance video shows another vehicle that entered the intersection, who Shada Burks says her 18-year-old granddaughter was behind the wheel.

“He [the officer] said ‘we were in the wrong. We were in pursuit. We were chasing a vehicle and we accidentally T-boned her which caused the accident,’” said Burks.

In a statement sent to CBS 58, MPD says around 6 p.m. Burks’ granddaughter entered the intersection after using the bike lane to go around two vehicles.

Law enforcement officers say the squad car collided with a bus shelter and a fire hydrant. The officer, a 28-year-old man, was transported to a local hospital for treatment of serious but non-fatal injuries.

Burks says her granddaughter was transported to a local hospital where she was detained for driving with a suspended license.

21-year-old passenger and a 19-year-old passenger were also transported to a local hospital.

“It was wrong because my granddaughter is in pain, she’s crying and I can’t get to her. And he literally closed the door and the curtain so I couldn’t even talk to her,” Burks.

Burke says she wants MPD to find a safer way to pursue suspects. A way, she says, that doesn’t put both officers and civilians at risk.

“I think it’s sickening because it's really got out of control in this city. It’s really out of control and so many people have lost their lives for them chasing someone,” said Burks.