MPD officers speak out after head-on crash with drunk driver



MILWAUKEE -- Two female Milwaukee police officers were injured and taken to the hospital after their squad car was struck head on by a suspected drunk driver near 16th and North Avenue around 12:20 Sunday morning, April 15th.

Early Sunday morning was Officer Corianna Chisum's first time driving a Milwaukee police squad car on Milwaukee's city streets. Chisum is just one month out of the Academy, and she and her field training officer, RoseMarie Galindos were headed eastbound on W. North Avenue, responding to a call of shots fired, when a vehicle that was headed westbound struck a legally parked vehicle on the north side of the street, and then swerved into the eastbound lane, striking the squad car head on.

"It was a matter of seconds. It veered into our lane and just came head on at us, and there was really nowhere to go," Chisum said. "It was enough time to see your life flash before your eyes and think you're going to die," Galindos said.

The officers are battered and bruised and a Milwaukee Police Department spokeswoman said they will be on limited duty until they recover.

The 37-year-old male driver of the striking vehicle was not injured, and was taken into custody. Police say the BAC of the man was .28, and a gun was found in the trunk of his vehicle. He was not supposed to be in possession of a weapon, as he is a felon, according to police.

Chisum and Galindo said the lesson learned from their encounter is don't drink and drive! "I was almost grateful that if he had to strike anyone, that we were the targets," Chisum said. "It's like you have a 4,000 pound bullet coming at you," Galindo said. "If he would have hit a family with small kids in the car, he really could have hurt somebody," Chisum said.