Waukesha County crashes; man accused was driving high, police say
WAUKESHA, Wis. - Prosecutors say the man responsible for several crashes on I-94 in Waukesha County on Saturday, Oct. 28 was driving high.
"This is serious. This is horrible," said Christopher Bailey, Waukesha County Court Commissioner.
Prosecutors charged 20-year-old Skyler Coe with five felonies and two misdemeanors after the weekend crash.
Skyler Coe
"The defendant is also a flight risk – given that he nearly killed two people while trying to flee from being taken into custody," said Alexis Werthmann, prosecutor.
On Saturday, Waukesha police say an officer tried to pull over Coe for speeding and a suspended registration. On Grandview Boulevard, police said Coe did not stop. Instead, police say Coe took off heading eastbound on I-94.
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Waukesha police say they stopped chasing the vehicle as speeds reached 80 miles per hour. But then Coe moved across three lanes of traffic.
New Wisconsin Department of Transportation video released on Monday, Oct. 30 shows the wreck from a distance. Investigators say Coe hit an SUV driven by a 74-year-old woman. The SUV rolled over. Prosecutors say the woman suffered two broken arms, a broken nose and four broken ribs. Police say Coe hit another SUV before his vehicle spun off the interstate and hit a tree.
"All the time we get these fleeing cases and you worry someone is going to get hurt – well, here you go," Bailey said.
The crashes shut down I-94 for hours.
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Tucked in Coe's underwear police said they found marijuana. Police said Coe admitted to smoking marijuana before driving.
"He does have a pending charge in Milwaukee but he has no prior convictions," said Patrick Sicula, defense attorney.
Skyler Coe
The court commissioner set Coe's cash bond at $50,000.
"It is clear the community needs to be protected from this defendant," Werthmann said.
Police say the 74-year-old woman is recovering.
The driver of the second vehicle struck was not hurt.
Court records show Coe was in Milwaukee County court a week before the crash for a misdemeanor charge of "carry concealed weapon." They say the Waukesha County crimes violated the terms of his bond in that Milwaukee case.