WAUWATOSA, Wis. — The driver of a Milwaukee Department of Public Works (DPW) truck who died in a crash that killed two other people had a history of seizures and took medication for them, according to a police report.
Members of 64-year-old Denise Durrah's family shared information about her medical history with Wauwatosa Police investigators following the crash on Dec. 13, 2022.
Durrah, while driving a DPW truck, was killed in the crash near Mayfair and Wisconsin, as was 85-year-old Paul Woida of Milwaukee and 40-year-old Amy Miller of Cedarburg.
TMJ4 News reached out to Milwaukee DPW for comment. The department responded with the following statement:
Generally, DPW monitors the Wisconsin Driver's License status of all employees who have a driving requirement as a part of their job duties. If we become aware of any condition or restriction related to an employee's ability to drive we take all appropriate steps, including communicating with the employee's Health Care Provider (HCP) to confirm the employee’s ability to safely operate motor vehicles and to perform the essential functions of their position. We take these steps to protect the employment and civil service rights of the employee, and to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public. Prohibiting a licensed driver from operating a motor vehicle based solely on mere suspicion or hearsay would potentially be in violation of anti-discrimination employment laws; however, DPW will permanently or temporarily restrict its employees from driving where it is necessary and appropriate, in accordance with City and department policy, and federal and state law.
For confidentiality reasons we are unable to indicate how any of this may or may not have applied to any specific employee, and in consideration of ongoing claims and potential litigation, this is the extent of the information we have to share with media at this time.
Did seizures play a role in deadly DPW crash?
The Wauwatosa Police Department's police report outlines several incidents in which seizures played a role in Durrah's life, including at work.
Durrah's former supervisor says Durrah told her she suffered from seizures but that they were under control due to medication.
A woman who identified as Durrah's niece and emergency contact said Durrah suffered from seizures for "years," according to the report.
Durrah's daughter meanwhile said she knew her mother suffered from "stress-induced seizures" for about 20 years. The daughter did not know if her mother was taking medication for the seizures. She said the seizures would come on quickly, and that it took about 15-20 minutes to recover from them.
Lastly, a woman who identified as Durrah's sister told officers Durrah was injured after falling off a truck at work earlier in the summer of 2022. Durrah had only been back at work for a month. The sister added Durrah had been suffering from seizures since the accident and that she had been taking medication for them, according to the report.
If you believe you are suffering from seizures and need help, the Mayo Clinic has a thorough article here.
Other details: Deadly crash involving DPW crash in Tosa
According to police, officers were originally called to the area around 12 p.m. for reports of a hit-and-run crash involving a truck from the Department of Public Works. The truck left the crash and traveled south on Mayfair, police say. That's when the truck then reportedly crashed into several stopped vehicles at Mayfair and Wisconsin.
Two people in those vehicles were killed, as well as the driver of the DPW truck. Two others were sent to the hospital and another person was hurt but did not require transportation to the hospital.
VIDEOS AND PHOTOS OF THE DEADLY WAUWATOSA CRASH:
