Milwaukee fatal crash kills 3; 19-year-old faces charges tied to wreck
Milwaukee fatal crash kills 3; 19-year-old faces charges tied to wreck
A Milwaukee man now faces charges associated with a crash that killed 3 people at 35th and Vliet.
MILWAUKEE - A 19-year-old Milwaukee man now faces charges associated with a crash that killed three members of a single family at 35th and Vliet on Sept. 16. The accused is Trevon Loston – and he faces the following criminal counts:
- Possession of a firearm by adjudicated delinquent
- Bail jumping-felony
- Drive or operate a vehicle without owner's consent
Trevon Loston
Case against Loston
What we know:
According to the criminal complaint, Milwaukee police were on patrol near Sherman and Center on Tuesday, Sept. 16. They spotted a white SUV "with no plates driving at a high rate of speed eastbound on Center," the complaint says.
The officers activated their lights and siren to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver of the vehicle did not stop. The complaint says instead, the driver "fled from the attempted traffic stop through a residential area, at speeds of 70 to 80 mph. The chase eventually came to a conclusion when the Dodge Journey went through a red light" at 35th and Vliet. The white SUV struck a car with five people inside. Three of those people were killed as a result of the crash. Two others were seriously hurt.
Fatal crash at 35th and Vliet in Milwaukee; striking driver was fleeing from police
Officers approached the white SUV which was resting on its side. They spotted a female climb out of the passenger side window of the vehicle. She was taken into custody and she "later admitted to detectives that she had been driving the Dodge Journey when it fled from police and crashed into the victim's vehicle," the complaint says.
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Officers spotted the defendant, Loston, unconscious in the vehicle "gripping a black Taurus 9mm handgun in his right hand. The 9mm firearm had a laser attachment and an extended magazine. (The officer) secured and removed this handgun from the defendant's right hand," the complaint says. When the defendant was removed from the SUV, he had a key fob for the SUV in his pants pocket, court filings say.
Scene at 35th and Vliet, Milwaukee
Police spoke with a third person in the white SUV. That person indicated the defendant had been driving the SUV, but about ten minutes prior to the fatal crash, he and the female switched seats -- and that the female "was the one driving when the police attempted to pull them over," the complaint says. The person told police the "defendant told (the female) to 'drive' and also told her 'don't stop' while he had a firearm in his hand, near the middle of his body, and pointed in the direction of (the female)," the complaint says.
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Court filings show the white SUV (Dodge Journey) was reported stolen on Sept. 11. The filing said it was stolen from the driveway of an Elkhart, Indiana police officer.
Interview with Loston
What they're saying:
A detective spoke with the defendant "who admitted to knowing the Dodge Journey was a stolen vehicle," the complaint says. Loston told authorities "he did not steal it in Elkhart, Indiana, but he got the stolen (vehicle) from Elkhart, Indiana from the person who did steal it," the complaint says. Loston later said he received a text message from the female mentioned earlier in this complaint to come pick her up. Loston indicated "he got tired of driving, so he pulled over and allowed (the female) to take over driving the stolen Dodge Journey.
The defendant stated that the chase began 'as soon as she pulled off and turned the corner,'" the complaint says. Loston told the detective the female was driving when the fatal crash happened, "but admitted that he was 'guiding' her on how to drive during the chase," the complaint says. Loston also admitted to possessing the firearm that was recovered from his hand.
What's next:
Loston is due to make his initial appearance in Milwaukee County court on Saturday, Sept. 20.
Milwaukee fatal crash kills 3; driver of striking vehicle arrested
Another police chase ends in death – and the people who died in the wreck had nothing to do with the case.
The Source: Information in this post was provided by Wisconsin Circuit Court Access as well as the criminal complaint in this case.