On Friday evening a 4-year-old boy was hit by a car while using a marked crosswalk with his mother near S. 69th Street and W. National Avenue in West Allis, a stretch neighbors say has been a problem for years. The child is now recovering at home. Family members report he suffered scrapes and bruises but no broken bones, and West Allis police took a 25-year-old woman into custody in connection with the crash. For residents, the scare has reopened long-simmering fears about drivers racing down National Avenue.
What police say
According to West Allis police, the crash happened around 6:50 p.m. when a westbound driver went around other vehicles on the right that had stopped for pedestrians in a marked crosswalk, then struck the child. Officers arrested a 25-year-old West Allis woman on suspicion of reckless driving causing bodily harm and said the case will be sent to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office for possible charges, according to WISN.
Neighbors and family react
The boy’s mother, Molly Sylvester, told TMJ4 that her son Isaac is on the mend. "Isaac is doing well. Back to playing and able to walk," she said, describing road rash and scrapes on his legs and face. Along National Avenue, neighbors told reporters the crash brought long-standing concerns about speeding and drivers taking corners too fast right back to the surface. "There are schools in the area, teenagers, children as small as mine," one resident said, voicing a frustration many along the corridor say they share.
Legal next steps
The West Allis Police Department says it will forward its investigation to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors will decide whether to file charges after reviewing the police report, witness statements and other evidence. Local outlets report the arrest was made on suspicion of reckless driving causing bodily harm, and any formal charges and court dates will be set only after the DA completes that review, according to WISN.
Traffic safety context
City officials in West Allis have already been trying to crack down on reckless driving. A city report last fall detailed targeted enforcement that led to dozens of stops and more than 50 citations during focused patrols, according to the City of West Allis. At the county level, Milwaukee County has moved to plan and fund safety projects through the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All program. Reporting and county documents show that roughly $25 million will support dozens of projects across multiple municipalities, including work in West Allis, aimed at improving crossings and intersections, per Urban Milwaukee and county materials. Residents and aldermen say they want that broader effort paired with continued traffic enforcement and engineering fixes along National Avenue while the legal process in this case plays out.
