The horrific vehicular homicides at the Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin has even more jaw-dropping details behind it. Earlier today The Washington Post and other publications reported that when suspect Darrell Brook Jr plowed through the parade he was fleeing from the scene of a knife fight after police were called. That made it seem like – at least in a very narrow sense – plowing into the people in the parade wasn’t part of some plan but part of reckless driving trying to avoid arrest.
But a new report from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reveals that earlier this month Brooks was arrested for intentionally running over a woman in a gas station parking lot after chasing her to the gas station after a fight. Brooks posted a $1,000 bond for the attack at the gas station and was released from the Milwaukee County Jail on November 16th, last Tuesday.
And just to confirm that you did read that right: Brooks was released on bail less than a week earlier for intentionally running over someone else.
The Milwaukee County DA released a statement today in which he called the $1,000 bail “inappropriately low.”
“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.”
In July 2020 Brooks was charged with two felony counts of recklessly endangering the safety of others with a dangerous weapon. There was apparently a third reckless endangerment charge the previous year. Police are now calling the purported knife fight, which immediately preceded Sunday night’s carnage, a “domestic disturbance.” They say they have not been able to find evidence that a knife was used.
