A Tuesday night crossing near 22nd and National in Milwaukee turned fatal when a driver struck a 47-year-old pedestrian and then took off without stopping, according to police. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
As reported by FOX6 Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Police Department said the pedestrian was crossing near the intersection around 10:30 p.m. when a passing vehicle hit them. MPD told FOX6 the victim was 47 and that investigators are now searching for both the vehicle and the driver who fled.
Police plea and how to help
Milwaukee police are asking anyone who saw anything or has information about the crash to call the department at 414-935-7360. To remain anonymous, people can contact Crime Stoppers at 414-224-TIPS or use the P3 Tips app.
Per the City of Milwaukee, those are the numbers investigators are using to gather tips in cases like this one.
Police activity near the scene
The city's public call-for-service feed recorded police activity in the immediate area late Tuesday night, lining up with a crash response near South 22nd Street. The Milwaukee Police Department call-for-service listings show entries for the South 22nd Street area shortly after the crash was reported.
Traffic safety context
The deadly hit-and-run comes as Milwaukee continues its Vision Zero effort to eliminate traffic deaths and life-changing injuries. The City of Milwaukee's City of Milwaukee materials note recent declines in traffic fatalities and encourage residents to use the Traffic Violence Dashboard to track crash trends across the city.
Legal consequences
Under Wisconsin law, a driver who fails to stop and provide help after a crash that causes injury or death can face felony hit-and-run charges, and courts have upheld felony prosecutions in fatal cases. A recent Justia summary of a Wisconsin Court of Appeals decision discusses the duty to stop and the legal fallout for fleeing a crash that results in death, underscoring how serious it is to leave the scene.
Anyone with information is again urged to call Milwaukee police at 414-935-7360 or Crime Stoppers at 414-224-TIPS, or to submit an anonymous tip through the P3 Tips app. Photos or video that could help investigators can be submitted with those tips.
