Milwaukee crash: Man left child at I-43 scene, prosecutors say

MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee man is charged with five counts in connection to an Interstate 43 crash that happened Tuesday, April 12.  

Prosecutors accuse 21-year-old Ladarius Davis-Hughes of running away from the scene – leaving behind an injured child. A rifle was found in the car, too.

According to a criminal complaint, a Milwaukee County sheriff's deputy was responding to a separate call when they spotted a car driving recklessly on I-43 near Holt Avenue. It was around 9:45 a.m., the complaint states, and the car was speeding, crossing lanes and cutting off "multiple" other motorists.

While in the deputy's view, the car lost control, hit the median, bounced away, hit the median again and flipped – sliding on its roof before coming to a stop.

The complaint states the deputy pulled up behind the wreck and saw a child, since identified as a 4-year-old, and a man, since identified as Davis-Hughes, crawl out through the shattered back windshield. Davis-Hughes told the deputy, according to the complaint, that he was taking the child to school and that the car was "acting up" so he tried to stop it.

The child complained of pain and had cuts to their arms, hands and face as well as facial swelling. The complaint states the deputy placed the child in the squad car and went to get something for Davis-Hughes, who was bleeding, when Davis-Hughes "ran from the scene, abandoning" the child. The child was later turned over to the mother.

Traffic cameras showed Davis-Hughes jumped over the median and ran across traffic toward 6th Street. He was later seen running down Oklahoma Avenue and was taken into custody near 3rd and Oklahoma, which runs underneath the interstate.

In the wrecked car, the complaint states authorities found an AK-47-style rifle loaded with 22 rounds and one in the chamber. There was no booster seat in the car. 

In 2015, the complaint states Davis-Hughes was convicted of armed robbery. He was 15 years old at the time. Most recently, in October 2021, he was charged in another case and released under the provision that he commit no further crimes or possess any dangerous weapons – conditions that remained in effect at the time of the crash.

In all, Davis-Hughes is charged with:

• Second-degree recklessly endangering safety
• Child neglect
• Possession of a firearm by an adjudicated delinquent
• Felony bail jumping (2 counts)

He made an initial court appearance on April 18, and a judge set cash bond at $10,000. He is due back in court on April 26.

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News