Family of victim, suspect meet during vigil following hit-and-run
MILWAUKEE -- The mother of a teenage girl accused in the fatal hit-and-run crash that killed 57-year-old Ronald Forbes publicly apologized to the Forbes' family Thursday evening, August 23rd before a vigil was held for Forbes.
Forbes died Monday, August 6th while riding to work on his bicycle near 65th and Hampton in Milwaukee. A 13-year-old girl is charged with four felonies as an adult. The girl could seek a waiver to be tried as a juvenile.
The girl faces charges including first degree reckless homicide, hit-and-run resulting in death and operating a vehicle without the owner's consent.
The criminal complaint in the case indicates the girl and another person had stolen the car from a home on N. 39th St. and was seen driving the vehicle at a high rate of speed. According to the passenger in the car who talked to police, she warned the 13-year-old girl to watch out for the bicyclist. But the complaint says the 13-year-old seemed to be driving right toward the victim intentionally.
The complaint says after striking Forbes, the 13-year-old "was laughing about striking the victim stating something like, 'He shouldn't have been in the street.'"
After some investigation, officers tracked down the accused at a home on N. 39th St. In the complaint, the girl stated, "I was going fast, about 80 mph and the music was loud." She told officers she went through a red light at 68th and Hampton, and then through a second light. Moments later, she apparently "saw a lot of traffic then heard a 'bump or boom' noise and turned around."
Immediately after the crash, the complaint indicates the girl turned the corner, parked the car and jumped into another vehicle that had pulled up behind her. She asked the boys in that vehicle to take her home. On the way home, that vehicle ran out of gas and the complaint says "she tried to steal another van to get home."
If convicted, the girl faces up to 60 years in prison. She'll be in juvenile court on Friday, September 7th.
Diana Cole is Forbes' sister. She was at Thursday evening's apology and vigil for her father.
"She seems to be sincere, and I'm sure she's hurting too. We all are. It's just wrong. There's nothing any of us can do to bring him back," Cole said.
The girl remains in custody at the juvenile justice facility facing adult charges -- which is what Forbes' family has said they want to see. The girls' family describes her as having problems in her life, and say they'd like to see her tried in juvenile court.
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