A 71-year-old man was struck and killed in a hit-and-run on Milwaukee's northwest side Monday night, and police say the driver who hit him took off.
The crash happened around 9 p.m. near Silver Spring Drive and Hopkins Street. Emergency crews responded and pronounced the victim dead at the scene, and Milwaukee police have opened an investigation into the deadly collision.
According to FOX6 News Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Police Department said the victim was 71 years old and died where he was hit. Investigators have not yet released a description of the driver or vehicle involved. Anyone with information is asked to call Milwaukee police at 414-935-7360, or to remain anonymous by contacting Crime Stoppers at 414-224-TIPS or through the P3 Tips app.
Where It Happened
Silver Spring Drive is one of Milwaukee's busier east-west corridors, carrying steady traffic through residential blocks and commercial stretches. The City of Milwaukee's pedestrian safety summary notes that higher vehicle speeds sharply increase the odds a crash will turn deadly. A study cited in the plan estimates roughly a 13 percent chance of death if a person is hit at 20 mph compared with about 73 percent at 40 mph. Those numbers help explain why crashes on busy arterials so often turn fatal and fuel calls for stronger pedestrian protections.
Police Appeal
Milwaukee police are urging anyone who was in the area to step forward, including nearby residents and businesses that might have surveillance cameras, as well as drivers who were running dash-cams along Silver Spring around the time of the crash.
According to FOX6 News Milwaukee, investigators asked tipsters to call 414-935-7360 or to contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 414-224-TIPS or via the P3 Tips app. The department says the investigation remains active and ongoing.
Vision Zero And The Bigger Picture
Milwaukee adopted its Vision Zero policy in 2022, with an action plan that lays out more than 100 steps aimed at eliminating traffic deaths by 2037. Per the City of Milwaukee's Vision Zero program, officials are leaning on a mix of engineering, enforcement and education to slow drivers down and prevent deadly crashes.
The program tracks traffic violence through a public dashboard and maintains an evolving list of street projects designed to improve crossings and calm traffic on high-injury corridors, including busy routes like Silver Spring Drive.
