MILWAUKEE, WI — A rear-end crash last month near Marquette University is being investigated by campus police because it involved an off-duty officer who was not cited for his role in the incident, according to FOX 6 Milwaukee.
The collision occurred at the corner of North 22nd Street and West Clybourn Street, on Monday, September 18, at about 5:30 p.m.
Preliminary details indicate one driver, Colin Kelly, was driving eastbound on West Clybourn Street when he came to a full stop at the light as he waited to make a left onto North 22nd Street. While yielding to traffic, his vehicle was abruptly rear-ended by an SUV driven by a man who identified himself as an off-duty MUPD officer.
Neither Kelly nor the off-duty officer were injured, but the back of Kelly’s car was left crushed.
Kelly recalled that in the immediate aftermath, the off-duty officer apologized for not “paying attention,” but that he seemed hesitant to answer questions and also kept a physical distance every time Kelly approached him.
The crash report Kelly obtained from police appeared to have a few inconsistencies, including a determination that the off-duty officer was not distracted at the time, that he was not cited for his part in the crash, and that he has car insurance, even though Progressive Insurance confirmed that he is uninsured.
The MUPD initially appeared to evade Kelly’s follow-up calls, but after the story received media attention, the department publicly acknowledged the errors in the crash report and said it is conducting an internal investigation. According to MUPD Detective Lt. Joe Erwin, the officer has since been cited.
Our experienced team of Milwaukee car accident attorneys at Lindner Law, LLC is personally invested in helping people like you fight for fair compensation after a stressful event. If you have been hurt in a recent crash caused by a distracted driver, we are prepared to support you in the legal process. Reach out today at 414-488-6870 or online to book a free consultation.
