MILWAUKEE -- An 18-year-old man has been taken into custody in a hit-and-run crash that injured two Milwaukee police officers early Thursday evening, according to police.
The officers were hurt while on foot patrol near Sherman Boulevard and Villard Avenue. They have since been released from the hospital.
The 18-year-old was arrested for 2nd degree reckless injury, 2nd degree recklessly endangering safety, and two counts of hit-and-run (great bodily harm and injury). The car he was driving was not stolen.
Three passengers inside the car were also arrested for failing to report the crash. They were issued citations.
Laird Geibel and his wife called the officers over to their van parked on Sherman to talk about a recent crime. Minutes later, he said a car hit the back of their van, and then the officers.
"All of a sudden one of the officers said, 'Watch out here comes a car,'" Geibel said.
The officers did not even have time to react, according to Geibel.
"Andy, the second officer, was blindsided. He was hit and went onto the hood of the car into the glass and rolled off," Geibel said.
The officer was pinned against a tree with cuts on his body, bleeding profusely.
"Then, the other officer was caught on the passenger side and ripped around," Geibel said.
He grabbed a towel from his van and ran to put pressure one of the officer's wounds. At the same time, the driver who hit the officers backed up and drove to the end of the block, made a U-turn and took off past them going the other direction.
The neighbors said they are sorry the officers were hurt, but they don't want to lose having them on foot.
"Police walk by here all the time," said Bill Daniels.
"I like the idea of the officers being on foot again because it really gives a presence in the neighborhood," Geibel said.
