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Reckless driving crash, woman paralyzed
Two men have been criminally charged in connection to a crash in Milwaukee that left a woman paralyzed.
MILWAUKEE - Two men have been criminally charged in connection to a crash in Milwaukee that left a woman paralyzed.
Alfredo Acosta, 27, and Dixon Udiel Mendoza-Espinoza, 29, are both charged separately in the crash that happened near Layton and Burnham early on Sunday morning, Oct. 27.
Acosta is charged with:
- Reckless driving, causing great bodily harm
- Knowingly operating a vehicle while suspended, causing great bodily harm
Mendoza-Espinoza is charged with:
- Injury by intoxicated use of a vehicle, causing great bodily harm
- Knowingly operating a motor vehicle without a valid license, causing great bodily harm
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Detailing the crash, Alfredo Acosta
Alfredo Acosta
According to the criminal complaint, police responded to a two-car crash near Layton and Burnham at 5:55 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 27.
One of the cars involved was a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which was significantly damaged. The driver was identified as Alfredo Acosta.
Surveillance video showed Acosta driving at unsafe speeds and running a red light before striking the other car (noted in the other criminal complaint described later).
A woman, identified as RLE in the complaint, was the passenger in Acosta's car. RLE was seriously injured in the crash and was taken to a local hospital. She was diagnosed with a fractured sternum, a laceration to her tongue, and paralysis from the neck down.
The complaint goes on to state that according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, at the time of the crash Acosta had a suspended driver’s license and had been ticketed for operating with a suspended license earlier in the year.
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Detailing the crash, Dixon Udiel Mendoza Espinoza
Dixon Udiel Mendoza-Espinoza
The other criminal complaint states that a 2014 Chevrolet Equinox was also involved in the crash. The driver was identified as Dixon Mendoza-Espinoza.
Mendoza-Espinoza had an overwhelming odor of intoxicants coming from his breath, difficulty speaking coherently, and bloodshot eyes. He performed field sobriety tests and performed poorly. Based upon that, he was arrested for operating while intoxicated. He later made an unprompted statement about consuming four intoxicating beverages and knowing that he should not have been driving, per the complaint.
Mendoza-Espinoza was taken to a local hospital where a phlebotomist drew a sample of his blood for chemical analysis. The results of that analysis have not yet been provided.
The complaint goes on to state that according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Mendoza-Espinoza did not have a valid driver’s license and that he had never been issued one previously.
Court proceedings
Cash bail was set at $2,000 for Alfredo Acosta. He has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Nov. 7, 2024.
Cash bail was set at $2,500 for Dixon Udiel Mendoza-Espinoza. He has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Nov. 7, 2024.