Man with pending 5th/6th OWI case ID'd as alleged striking driver in deadly crash on I-94 in Delafield
DELAFIELD -- Officials with the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department said the alleged operator of a vehicle involved in a fatal crash on I-94 Saturday, July 8th appeared in court on Monday, July 10th. He's been identified as Frank Schiller of Oconomowoc, and was out on bail at the time. Additionally, he has a pending case in which he's accused of his fifth/sixth OWI offense.
"If the allegations in this complaint are true -- then you are everyone's worst nightmare," Laura Florian Lau, court commissioner said Monday.
Cash bond was set at $1 million. Prosecutors recommended $100,000 cash bail. He'll next be in court on Thursday. He hasn't yet been formally charged.
Frank Schiller
Online court records show Schiller has four open cases, filed between March and June of 2017.
The latest cases, filed on June 23rd in Waukesha County, charge him with possession of narcotic drugs (two counts) and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was out on $500 cash bail in each of the two cases at the time of Saturday's crash.
A case filed in April out of Washington County charges him with two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and one count of felony bail jumping.
A case filed in March out of Milwaukee County charges him with OWI, fifth or sixth offense. A $2,500 signature bond was set in that case on March 15th. A criminal complaint in that case accuses Schiller of driving while under the influence near 92nd and Bluemound on March 9th, 2017. The complaint says a 911 call came in regarding a man passed out in the driver's seat of a running vehicle. A needle was located on the roof of the vehicle, with a total of three needles recovered, prosecutors say, and several witnesses were observed trying to help the driver. Prosecutors say Schiller admitted to using heroin and cocaine.
Frank Schiller
The victim in Saturday's crash has been identified as 48-year-old Peter Enns from Canada.
"He hit and killed a good Samaritan who was assisting a disabled motorist," the prosecutor said during Schiller's court appearance Monday. "The deputy in this case smelled the odor of intoxicants and the defendant refused a blood draw."
Enns was killed and three others were hurt in the crash that happened on I-94 eastbound, just west of Cushing Park Road in Delafield Saturday night.
According to the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department, shortly after 9:00 p.m., a passing motorist pulled over to assist the occupants of a minivan that was pulled over on the shoulder of I-94 EB with a flat tire.
While the tire was being changed, a vehicle headed eastbound on I-94 struck the minivan and the motorist who was assisting the occupants of the minivan.
Court documents indicate Schiller's vehicle was attempting to pass other vehicles on the right shoulder prior to the crash. Due to the crash involving Schiller's vehicle and the minivan, two other vehicles had to swerve to avoid the incident, and they crashed.
Enns was pronounced dead at the hospital.
A 56-year-old woman was taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries not believed life-threatening.
An 11-year-old child was taken to Children's Hospital for treatment of injuries not believed life-threatening.
Schiller was taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries not believed life-threatening. While at the hospital, an affidavit indicates an odor of intoxicants was noted coming from Schiller, and the affidavit references his four prior convictions for OWI -- in 2000, 2005, and two in 2008. Schiller was arrested, and a sample of his blood was sent to a lab for analysis.
I-94 EB was closed for six hours, and I-94 WB was closed for two while this crash was investigated and crews worked the scene.
The Waukesha County Sheriff's Department was assisted by the Wisconsin State Patrol, City of Delafield, and Village of Chenequa Police Departments, along with the City of Delafield, Town of Delafield, Lake Country, Pewaukee, Western Lakes, Stone Bank and Hartland Fire Departments.