A newly released Milwaukee County Transit System dashcam clip shows a chaotic New Year’s Eve chain-reaction crash that ends with a car slamming into a county bus and three people hurt. The video, taken at the intersection of Fond du Lac Avenue and Locust Street on Dec. 31, shows two cars collide, one get launched into the side of an MCTS bus, and several occupants run off afterward. The bus driver, a passenger and a 69-year-old driver were taken to nearby hospitals and are expected to survive.
The footage, provided by MCTS and shared with local media, captures the first impact as it shoves one vehicle into two others and then into the bus, as reported by WISN Channel 12 Milwaukee. The station reports that people inside the first two vehicles ran from the scene, and Milwaukee police have not made any arrests in the hit-and-run case.
Why MCTS Released the Footage
MCTS pointed to its on-board cameras and a recent safety push when it released the clip. The agency notes that its buses now carry multiple high-definition cameras and that it launched pilot programs this winter to increase transit security, according to a Jan. 16 release from the Milwaukee County Transit System. “Safety is the foundation of everything we do at MCTS,” President and CEO Steve Fuentes wrote in the announcement.
Injuries and Police Appeal
Milwaukee police told reporters that the 69-year-old driver struck in the secondary crash, along with the bus operator and a passenger, were taken to hospitals and are expected to recover, as reported by WISN Channel 12 Milwaukee. Anyone with information is asked to call Milwaukee police at 414-935-7272 or Crime Stoppers at 414-224-TIPS, the station said.
What Happens Next
Investigators are still working to track down the people who fled and will review the newly released video as part of the probe. Agency officials say the footage, along with the expanded safety pilot programs, is intended to help speed up investigations and discourage dangerous behavior across the transit system.
