Milwaukee woman collides with squad; claims it's not her fault
MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee woman was headed to work but never made it because she collided with a Milwaukee police officer near 76th and Mill. That woman tells FOX6 News, it was not her fault.
Dawnette Cloyd works a night-shift as a cardiac technician. Tuesday night, July 25, she became the patient.
"Nothing is the same. Nothing is the same," Cloyd said.
Dawnette Cloyd
With her wrist in a brace and most of her body in pain, Cloyd questioned whether she will ever drive again.
"I do not feel like I'm the criminal, because I'm not. Very little empathy was shown, very little compassion, and I'm very unhappy," Cloyd said.
This was all because of a drive she has made time and time again. It was just after 9:30 p.m. Tuesday near 76th and Mill. A nearby surveillance camera shows a police squad cautiously enter the intersection, then head south on 76th Street. Seconds later, another squad headed east on Mill comes through with its emergency lights on – and collides with a white SUV driven by Cloyd.
"He was supposed to stop. He had a red light. He's supposed to at least yield," Cloyd said.
Milwaukee police say the officer was headed to an emergency.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
The crash totaled Cloyd's SUV. While she was in the hospital, she received a $250 citation for failing to yield for an emergency vehicle.
"It's misleading. I didn't see him. I didn't see him. I did not fail to yield. I was not trying to beat him and get through the light. If I would have saw him or heard him, I would have stopped," Cloyd said.
Now, Cloyd stops to tell her story, hoping other drivers can learn from what happened.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android
"We have to slow down. All of us collectively, we have to slow down and be conscious, even if you're in an emergency situation," Cloyd said.
Dawnette Cloyd
Milwaukee police say the officer was not hurt.
Cloyd said she did not hear any sirens from the squad – and she plans to fight the citation in municipal court.