A Milwaukee man has admitted to his role in a wild high-speed chase that ended with an SUV buried in the construction site of the new Martin Luther King branch of the Milwaukee Public Library at Martin Luther King Drive and West Locust Street.
Court records show 37-year-old Cameron Moore pleaded guilty Wednesday to three felony counts tied to the Jan. 7, 2025 pursuit, with sentencing set for May, according to FOX6 Milwaukee. Two additional felony charges were dismissed under a plea deal.
During the hearing, Court Commissioner Katharine Kucharski described the chase as extraordinarily dangerous, telling the court that deputies saw stretches where Moore was allegedly driving "120 to 140 miles per hour on the freeway, on the public roadways passing people," FOX6 Milwaukee reported.
Sheriff's deputies had been surveilling a home near 2nd and Lloyd when Moore left in an SUV. Authorities said he initially stopped for them, then took off again. About a mile later, the vehicle allegedly ran a red light at Martin Luther King Drive and West Locust Street, hit another car, and then careened into the active construction site for the new library branch, as reported by WISN 12.
No deputies were injured, and the driver of the other car was not hurt. A 23-year-old construction worker reported leg pain, was examined at the scene, and was cleared, according to WISN 12.
Site damage and safety push
Security video and photos from the construction site show the impact knocked down an awning and damaged support posts at the library's entry, according to The Daily Reporter. Crews later installed temporary concrete barriers while repairs got underway.
Elected officials and Milwaukee Public Library leaders have said the MLK branch design will include reinforced features intended to keep vehicles from getting close to the entrance. Developers and library officials have also pursued compensation to cover the cost of repairs, The Daily Reporter noted.
Legal next steps
Moore originally faced five felony counts, including burglary, operating a vehicle to flee, two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, and a property-damage fleeing charge, according to CBS 58.
Under the plea deal, he admitted to three felonies and is scheduled to return to court for sentencing in May, authorities told FOX6 Milwaukee.
Prosecutors and sheriff's officials have not publicly detailed the full terms of the agreement in available court filings. The crash has become a very visible reminder of how risky high-speed pursuits can be in dense urban neighborhoods and has helped spur city and library leaders to put extra focus on beefing up physical protections at the MLK branch entrance as construction and repairs continue.
