Iman Washington sentenced, 12 years for crash that killed young girl

MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee County judge sentenced Iman Washington on Friday, Dec. 3 to 12 years in prison plus another six years of extended supervision.

Washington, 21, pleaded guilty in connection with a crash that resulted in the death of 7-year-old Londyn Quesada in October 2020.

Kevin Hightire, also charged in this case, was sentenced to three years probation. 

Both defendants accepted plea deals in their cases. In September, Washington agreed to plead guilty to second-degree reckless homicide and second-degree reckless injury – and four other charges were dismissed and read into the court record.

As for Hightire, he pleaded guilty in October to a single felony count of harboring or aiding a felon.

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Before sentencing

Washington was given an opportunity to speak to the court prior to his sentencing. He pleaded to the court, indicating he's never been in trouble with the last like this before. 

"I have to sit there and deal with the fact that something I did brought pain to another family. I got two beautiful nieces. I wouldn't know what to do if one of my nieces died," Washington said. "I don't know what to do, ya know? So I can't be mad at them. I just hope that they can eventually come forgive me so I can forgive myself. Until then, I'm just sorry."

Judge Glenn Yamahiro spoke at length before handing down his sentence. He keyed in on the trouble with reckless driving in the City of Milwaukee.

"I have been watching day after day. I've seen so many vehicles in houses, in trees, upside down, you name it. And it wasn't always like that in this community," Judge Yamahiro said.

The judge indicated he's never seen the volume of bad driving cases that the community is seeing now. 

"Cars can kill people. It's not a video game. As far as I'm concerned, in this community, it's the #2 weapon at this time," the judge said. "Certainly a lot more damage being caused by vehicles than knives or other things. So with the exception of firearms, this is it."

Criminal complaint

According to the criminal complaint, Milwaukee police officers were dispatched to the intersection of 76th and Calumet on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020. 911 callers indicated two vehicles were racing when a crash occurred. Additional callers stated the crash was a hit-and-run.

When officers arrived on the scene, Milwaukee firefighters were already rendering aid to a child lying in the intersection. That child was later identified as 7-year-old Londyn Quesada. She died as a result of her injuries.

The complaint said on the scene, there was a 2005 Toyota Camry (victim vehicle) -- and a 2006 Pontiac G6 (striking vehicle). Quesada had been in the rear seat of the Toyota, the complaint says. 

According to the criminal complaint, inside the center console of the Pontiac, officers found a Wisconsin identification card for Iman Washington.

Officers in their crash reconstruction determined the Toyota was struck by the Pontiac. They determined the "striking Pontiac was traveling south on N. 76th Street and the victim Toyota was traveling north on N. 76th Street turning left to proceed west on W. Calumet Road." 

The complaint indicates the posted speed limit at the location of the crash is 40 miles per hour. Investigators downloaded data from the Airbag Control Module of the striking Pontiac. An analysis of that data showed "the striking Pontiac was traveling 107 miles per hour in the seconds leading up to impact and slowed to 103 miles per hour just prior to impact with the victim's Toyota."

When police recovered video from the Milwaukee County Transit System bus, they say the Pontiac and second vehicle were traveling south on N. 76th Street just prior to the crash. The PT Cruiser-type vehicle was in fact a Chevrolet HHR. 

After Milwaukee police released a photo of the Chevrolet, a woman "recognized the vehicle as her vehicle that her son was in possession of. (The woman) stated that she had contacted her son who told her that he had loaned the car to another male."

The complaint goes on to say the son of the owner of the Chevrolet indicated "he had (been) driving from his employer back to his residence in the Chevrolet HHR" to pick up Kevin Hightire. He said Hightire "was visibly upset and said, 'I messed up, I messed up.'" Hightire later stated "there was an accident, it's not my fault."

Police later questioned Hightire. On the day of the crash, Hightire said he had been out in the Chevrolet -- and when he returned home, he saw his neighbor, Washington, pulled over to the side of the road. Washington told Hightire he "had the money he owed Defendant Hightire for a television that had recently been purchased." But that he needed to go to an ATM to get the cash.

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On the way to the ATM, the criminal complaint says the speed of both Washington's vehicle and Hightire's vehicle increased. Hightire indicated "Washington has always driven fast, but never 100 mph before." Hightire told police "he was having trouble keeping up with Defendant Washington's Pontiac because of the speed, and that both he and Defendant Washington were weaving in and out of traffic as he was attempting to keep up."

Hightire went on to say Washington "slowed up a bit as they approached Dean Street, which allowed him (Defendant Hightire) to pass and get ahead. Defendant Hightire related that Defendant Washington then sped by increasing his speed -- and took off." Hightire told police "there was no way he could catch up to Defendant Washington" and that Washington "was traveling at least 100 mph when the collision occurred."

The complaint says Hightire stated after the collision, he saw the passenger in Washington's vehicle appeared unconscious. Hightire said "Washington was trying to pick up items from in the car. Defendant Hightire stated Defendant Washington wanted to leave the passenger behind, but Defendant Hightire refused because the passenger was hurt." Hightire stated, "he and Defendant Washington put the passenger in the Chevrolet HHR and then drove them all back to their apartment complex."

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