Reckless driver strikes woman, squad car while fleeing police through Humboldt Park

 

BAY VIEW, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A reckless driver doing donuts in Humboldt Park narrowly missed a family of four and others Tuesday evening, just days after a hit-and-run injured a mother and child at the same park. 

A couple of Milwaukee police squad cars were chasing the driver at the time.

As they entered the parkway, witnesses watched in horror as the driver left the roadway and continued into a park full of people.

"My heart's still beating fast," said Bay View resident Michael Bubolz. 

Bubolz says it all happened quickly.

"From my vantage point, the vehicle came down the road and then jumped the curb somewhere in that direction over there," said Bubolz. 

Witnesses watched as the gray sedan plowed through the grass, narrowly missing pedestrians along the way.

"Everywhere, people were everywhere. It's not just cars coming through, but people walking. It's prime time, people get off of work," Bubolz said. 

He showed us the leaf pile that he, his wife and two small children were playing in when the speeding car came close.

"Yeah, so you can see the tire tracks down on the ground here," he said.

Witnesses say the driver headed up a hill at about 30 miles an hour, seemingly to exit the park, but came back a second time.

"After the first time, we took cover behind a tree and I ran up to the top of the hill to make sure that everybody was okay from the first pass," Bubolz said. 

Milwaukee police tell us the pursuit started near Euclid and Pine after reports of reckless driving. 

The 33-year-old driver was taken into custody after police broke the window of the suspect vehicle.

Police say the driver intentionally hit a pedestrian, a pedestrian vehicle and a police vehicle during the pursuit. 

This is the second reckless driving incident here in days. 

During trick-or-treat hours Saturday, a mother and child in her stroller were struck by a driver who fled the scene.

"It was intense, it was definitely scary. You know, my family did a great job staying put," Bubolz said.

Milwaukee police report the pedestrian -- a 34-year-old Milwaukee woman -- was hit near Howell and Montana but was not injured in the incident. 

Police say charges will be sought for first-degree reckless endangering safety and fleeing.