Waukesha hit-and-run; woman charged, man remains in critical condition
WAUKESHA, Wis. - A 57-year-old Waukesha woman is accused of operating while intoxicated and causing a crash that critically injured a man. The accused is Tara Felten – and she faces the following criminal counts:
- Injury by intoxicated use of a vehicle
- Hit-and-run involving great bodily harm
It happened around 6:15 p.m. near Hartwell and White Rock.
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Prosecutors say the victim, a 63-year-old man, suffered a brain bleed, aortic injury, a broken leg and more. Investigators say the woman who hit him took off.
Tara Felten
When Helen Bishara looked out her front window Saturday night, there was a heartbreaking sight. Just after 6 p.m., she watched as first responders helped a man who had just been hit by a car.
"There was no screeching, no honking," Bishara said. "There was no car. It was just a guy laying in the road. I have no idea if he was crossing or anything. I just know that they were treating him in the street there."
Police arrested Felten after tracking her vehicle with flock cameras. Investigators say someone called 911 to report a driver swerving through lanes of traffic near Moreland and Main Street, almost hitting a pole.
Waukesha hit-and-run crash; man critically hurt, woman arrested
A 63-year-old man suffered critical injuries after being struck by a vehicle near Hartwell and White Rock Avenue in Waukesha on Saturday evening, Dec. 28.
Police say when they told her she was being investigated for hit-and-run while intoxicated, Felten asked, "A person? A vehicle? A squirrel?"
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Prosecutors say Felten has two prior OWIs.
"There were a lot of alcohol cans all up and down the street in this area," Bishara said. "Instantly, my husband suspected a drunk driver."
Felten’s cash bond has been set at $40,000. She is facing up to 27.5 years in prison, could have her driving privilege revoked for up to four years, and also faces $75,000 in fines.