Trial begins for man accused in crash that killed unborn child



MILWAUKEE (WITI) — The trial began Monday, September 30th for 23-year-old Donovan Walker-Hall, the man accused of striking a pregnant woman near MLK and Locust.

Donovan Walker Hall



Walker-Hall faces multiple charges including homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle, duty upon striking a person, knowingly operating a motor vehicle while suspended, and reckless driving.

The criminal complaint against Walker-Hall indicates he was driving an SUV northbound on MLK when he struck another vehicle, left the roadway and drove onto the sidewalk. That’s when he struck a pregnant woman, identified as Ashley Williams.

Williams survived the crash but her unborn child did not.

The complaint indicates a surveillance camera at a nearby Milwaukee Public Library captured the entire crash sequence on video. It also says investigators downloaded the event data recorder in the SUV that Walker-Hall was driving. It showed Walker-Hall was “driving approximately 56 miles per hour just prior to the collision sequence. The speed limit in that block is 30 miles per hour.”

The complaint says investigators found Walker-Hall has “no operator’s license issued and that his current status is suspended.” It also says “Walker-Hall’s driving record reveals three convictions for Operating Without a License and ten convictions for Operating After Suspension dating back to February 4, 2009.”

The criminal complaint indicates Walker-Hall initially left the scene of the crash. When asked why, Walker-Hall “states that he did not stay on the scene because he went to see if the lady that he hit was okay and a man who he assumed was the lady’s boyfriend had pushed him down and was threatening him.” Walker-Hall apparently then ran off and called 911 to report what he had done.

If convicted, Walker-Hall faces up to 15 years in prison and $50,000 in fines.

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