Pedestrian killed in Milwaukee, delivery driver charged
MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee man is accused of hitting a woman with his car, killing her, on the city's northwest side on March 30.
Prosecutors say 27-year-old Latrell Katherine told police he was driving for DoorDash at the time – despite not having a valid driver's license. The company, though, said he was "not associated" with the platform.
"My baby is gone," said Patricia McGee, the victim's mother. "My grandkids won’t be able to see their mother, he took her life."
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The victim, 35-year-old Tesa Steele, was walking across Capitol Drive near 88th Street when she was hit. She was taken to a hospital where she ultimately died of her injuries. An autopsy found she had multiple blunt force injuries, including skull fractures.
"She was getting off of work, coming home and that’s when they hit her and killed her, she was crossing the street," McGee said.
Tesa Steele
According to a criminal complaint, Katherine told police he was making a DoorDash delivery when an SUV suddenly changed lanes in front of him on Capitol Drive. He said he didn't know why the SUV moved suddenly but, after passing the SUV, hit Steele. He said he did not see her or realize that he had hit a person until after he pulled over.
Katherine admitted to knowing his driver's license had been suspended because of unpaid tickets, per the complaint. Asked how he can work for DoorDash without a valid license, Katherine told police the app allows you to state if you're using a car or a bicycle – and he always selects bicycle.
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FOX6 News called DoorDash to see if it was aware of their employee driving illegally. In a statement, the company said:
"This is a devastating tragedy and our hearts are with the loved ones of the victim. The driver involved is not associated with our platform. We have permanently deactivated the account that was used during this incident and have reached out directly to law enforcement to assist with their investigation."
88th and Capitol pedestrian crash
"He's a liar, because if he was riding a bike she would still be a live," McGee said.
The complaint states Katherine's license has been suspended since February 2021 after failing to pay a fine for operating without a license in October 2020. The complaint states he has three prior operating while suspended convictions.
Katherine is charged with one count of knowingly operating a motor vehicle while suspended, causing death. He made his initial court appearance on April 5, and his cash bond was set at $2,000.