8-year-old dies from injuries in Waukesha parade crash
Jackson Sparks, 8, died on Tuesday as a result of the injuries he sustained Sunday when a man drove his SUV into the crowd at a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
Sparks is the sixth person to die in the incident, and the first child. The other five people who died range in age from 52 to 81.
The criminal complaint filed against suspect Darrell Brooks Jr., 39, states that 62 people were injured in the crash. On Tuesday, Brooks was charged with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide; if convicted, he will receive a mandatory life sentence. Waukesha County District Attorney Susan Opper said additional charges related to Sparks' death will be filed within the next week. A preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 14.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The criminal complaint alleges that Brooks was speeding away from law enforcement when he drove into the Waukesha Christmas parade. One police officer at the scene fired three shots at Brooks' SUV, but he did not stop. One witness told law enforcement the car "appeared to be intentionally moving side to side," while another stated "it was like the SUV was trying to avoid vehicles, not people. There was no attempt made by the vehicle to stop, much less slow down." Earlier this month, Brooks was released on bail after being accused of intentionally hitting a woman with his car in Milwaukee County.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
'Make legal immigration a more plausible option'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
LA-to-Las Vegas high-speed rail line breaks ground
Speed Read The railway will be ready as soon as 2028
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel's military intelligence chief resigns
Speed Read Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva is the first leader to quit for failing to prevent the Hamas attack in October
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Puffed rice and yoga: inside the collapsed tunnel where Indian workers await rescue
Speed Read Workers trapped in collapsed tunnel are suffering from dysentery and anxiety over their rescue
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
More than 2,000 dead following massive earthquake in Morocco
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mexico's next president will almost certainly be its 1st female president
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
North Korea's Kim to visit Putin in eastern Russia to discuss arms sales for Ukraine war, U.S. says
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Gabon's military leader sworn in following coup in latest African uprising
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published