Darrell E. Brooks, who allegedly plowed his SUV into a Christmas parade in Waukesha Sunday, has been charged with 5 counts of intentional homicide — just as authorities reveal a sixth death in the incident. His bail is set at $5 Million.
Six total people were killed and more than 60 others were injured. All five of the deceased suffered multiple blunt force injuries, according to the criminal complaint.
Brooks appeared in court to face the charges.
HAPPENING NOW: The man accused of deadly Christmas parade crash in Waukesha, WI makes his first court appearance. https://t.co/H9n7JKbYS7 pic.twitter.com/ewQzezVAXH
— CBS News (@CBSNews) November 23, 2021
“While the defendant was driving westbound on East Main Street, he struck numerous pedestrians, which included both parade participants and spectators located on the side of the street,” the complaint says.
The complaint also states that Brooks was driving in a “zig-zag pattern as if to hit as many people as possible.”
BREAKING: Criminal complaint against Darrell Brooks just released. I will post in entirety below. #waukeshaChristmasParade pic.twitter.com/xKoDOQja6V
— Kristen Barbaresi (@KristenBarbar) November 23, 2021
NEW: Doorbell camera shows Waukesha parade suspect asking for help outside home after killings; the homeowner, unaware of the incident, allowed Brooks inside and made him a sandwich.
https://t.co/GYdyJtJyAE pic.twitter.com/zUdWAD5c71
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) November 23, 2021
The horrific events were captured on video.
The deceased victims have been identified as follows:
• Virginia Sorenson, 79 year old female
• LeAnna Owen, 71 year old female
• Tamara Durand, 52 year old female
• Jane Kulich, 52 year old female
• Wilhelm Hospel, 81 year old male
Jackson Sparks, 8 year old male
At a press conference Monday, Waukesha Police Chief Dan Thompson said Brooks was in a domestic disturbance just minutes before the incident and officers were not pursuing his vehicle at the time. There is also no evidence of terrorism seen, officials said.
Brooks’ criminal history dates back to 1999 and includes numerous violent felonies. At the time of the crime on Sunday, Brooks was out on $1,000 bail for reckless endangerment, battery, domestic abuse, resisting arrest and bail jumping. The charges stemmed from allegations that he “punched the mother of his child and purposefully ran her ‘over with his vehicle’ in a Milwaukee gas station parking lot on Nov. 2,” according to The New York Post.
“The state’s bail recommendation in this case was inappropriately low in light of the nature of the recent charges and the pending charges against Mr. Brooks,” the DA’s office said in a statement.
“The bail recommendation in this case is not consistent with the approach of the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office toward matters involving violent crime, nor was it consistent with the risk assessment of the defendant prior to setting of bail.
“This office is currently conducting an internal review of the decision to make the recent bail recommendation in this matter in order to determine the appropriate next steps.”
