23-year-old alleged drunk driver in custody for killing passenger in Mount Pleasant wreck

MOUNT PLEASANT -- An alleged drunk driver is responsible for killing his passenger following a fatal crash in Racine County Wednesday night, November 4th. Neighbors say the crash occurred in an area known for its dangerous driving.

Tom Sell lives close by and says the traffic near State Highway 31 (Green Bay Road) and 16th Street in the Village of Mount Pleasant is trouble.

"They're driving in the parking lanes. They've hit cars. They totaled one of mine out already," said Sell.

Just after 8 p.m. Wednesday evening, Mount Pleasant police responded to the area after investigators say a Dodge Neon, driving south on 31, tried to turn left onto 16th and collided with a northbound traveling Saab SUV.

Fatal crash in Mount Pleasant (Highway 31 and 16th Street)

"You hear a loud bang and you turn around and basically at the time when I turned around I see a car jumping in the air," said Brian Wolfe.

Fatal crash Mount Pleasant

That car was the Neon.

"A passenger in the front seat was pronounced dead on scene. The operator of the same vehicle was transported to Wheaton Franciscan with non life-threatening injuries," said Sergeant David Stroupe with the Mount Pleasant Police Department.

The driver is now in jail with a bail set at more than $50,000.

Fatal crash Mount Pleasant

The driver of the Saab was uninjured.

Sell says he's been warning folks about the dangers of driving in the area.

"A week ago I said, 'what's it going to take? Somebody to be killed around here before we can really do something?' And now this happened," Sell said.

Sell says one of his challenges is that the side of the street where the wreck occurred is in the town of Mount Pleasant, while his side of the street is in the city of Racine. Sell says he remains hopeful that he, his neighbors and both municipalities can work together to make it a safer stretch of roadway.