During my career as an elected official I have always respected the boundaries between the legislative and judicial branches of government. However, when a case presents itself as not providing adequate justice or protection for the community, I feel obligated to speak out. This is one of those cases.
The Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judiciary owes every citizen of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County an explanation as to why a dangerous reckless driver was given two years of probation for a case that very easily could have resulted in innocent people being killed.
Fox 6 news reported that on Monday (April 25), a Circuit Court judge sentenced Milwaukee woman Na’Stalgia Packer-Wells, 27, to two years of probation for an August 2020 police chase and crash. Packer-Wells was given the “free pass” of probation after pleading guilty to fleeing/eluding police and two counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety.
Packer-Wells was initially sentenced to two years in PRISON, but the judge stayed that sentence in favor of probation.
Probation after she fled a traffic stop and led police on a pursuit that stretched more than six miles on city streets and the interstate at speeds exceeding more than 90 MPH?!
The pursuit ended when Packer-Wells ran another red light and struck a vehicle. Both vehicles, according to police, spun “violently out of control” and knocked down street signs and lights. A woman and a two-month-old child in the other vehicle were injured but thankfully survived the crash.
I cannot imagine how traumatized the woman and the baby must have been by this horrific crash.
I cannot stand by while a dangerous reckless driver gets a slap on the wrist and no jail time for putting the lives of innocent citizens and police officers at great risk. This sentence is simply unbelievable to me.
The judiciary needs to be held accountable in cases such as this, and I will wait for an explanation from the Circuit Court for the unjust sentence in this case.
