Dameon Peters, a former Milwaukee County Transit System bus driver, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, admitting he was driving drunk when he struck and killed 61-year-old George Kayser near 56th Street and Forest Home Avenue in Greenfield in November 2025. Prosecutors say Peters' blood alcohol level was 0.236 at the time of the crash, nearly three times Wisconsin's legal limit for driving.
Peters entered his plea in Milwaukee County court, according to WISN, which first reported the plea. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 24, facing a potential sentence of up to 25 years in prison and a fine of as much as $100,000.
Bus Video Showed Signs of Impairment Hours Before Crash
Internal surveillance footage from inside the bus on November 22, 2025, showed Peters squinting and driving with one eye closed nearly two hours before the fatal collision, according to a criminal complaint detailed by WTMJ. The footage, recorded around 5 p.m. that day, also showed him drifting into bike lanes and striking a curb before the crash occurred nearly two hours later.
Driver Told Police He Didn't Realize He'd Hit Someone
Greenfield police records show that when officers questioned Peters at the scene, he said he had tried to steer clear of a pedestrian and only realized he had struck someone after seeing Kayser motionless in his rearview mirror, according to FOX6 Milwaukee. Officers took Peters to a nearby hospital for a blood sample following the crash.
Bus Driver Fired, Then Arrested Months Later
Kayser, a Wauwatosa resident, was pronounced dead at Froedtert Hospital after sustaining severe head injuries, according to CBS 58. MCTS terminated Peters' employment on November 24, 2025, two days after the collision, following an internal investigation, the station reported. Milwaukee County prosecutors did not issue an arrest warrant for Peters until January 15, 2026, and he was taken into custody with cash bond set at $10,000 on January 26, per the same outlet.
Steep Penalties Under Wisconsin's Drunk-Driving Homicide Law
Peters' plea falls under Wisconsin Statute 940.09, which classifies homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle as a Class D felony carrying a presumptive minimum of five years of initial confinement in state prison unless a judge finds compelling reasons for a shorter term, according to Van Severen Law Office. Offenders convicted under the statute can face up to 15 years of initial confinement within a 25-year maximum sentence. Commercial driver's license holders like Peters are held to a stricter 0.04% blood alcohol threshold, half the 0.08% limit for non-commercial drivers, under Wisconsin law and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations.
Second Fatal MCTS Crash in Two Years Renews Safety Concerns
Peters' case is the second fatal MCTS crash to result in criminal charges in recent years. Former driver Montrell Pharm was sentenced on March 12 to four years in prison for homicide by negligent operation after falling asleep behind the wheel and killing 79-year-old Robert Clemons on December 25, 2024, CBS 58 reported.
Following the Clemons case, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 998, which represents more than 1,200 regional transit workers, publicly criticized MCTS management for forced overtime and understaffing that it said created dangerous driver fatigue, according to FOX6 Milwaukee. The union called for operational reforms in the wake of that 2024 crash.
Transit Agency Faces Mounting Budget Pressure
MCTS is also confronting steep financial pressure heading into next year. A June fiscal report cited by transit officials projected the agency faces a $15.7 million budget deficit for fiscal year 2027 as federal pandemic relief funds expire, according to Hoodline's reporting, with county leadership requesting department-wide spending reductions to address the shortfall.
