MILWAUKEE — Marcus Blade moved back to Milwaukee and Capitol Drive just a month ago. He's already planning to move his family somewhere else.
"It’s dangerous up in here. I got kids and they like to play. I don’t like it," said Blade.
Outside of his home near 30th and Capitol, he told us he's seen countless cars speeding and a number of crashes. But he never thought he'd see a crash like the one across from his home on Wednesday night.
According to police, a car lost control and collided with a tree. Both the driver and passenger, police say, died at the scene.
One of the victims is 29-year-old Kent Thomas, according to the man's grandmother, Victoria Burns, and his sister, Alisha Thomas. They said he was a father of four. The medical examiner has yet to identify either men.
In dramatic video shared by a neighbor, Blade can be seen trying to open the doors of the small black SUV. They're locked. He then picks up a road sign and smashes out the rear window. That doesn't help. He then tries to break a side window.
"He was yelling to me, 'save me, save me.' I couldn't 'cause the smoke was starting to hurt my eyes. And I just backed up from it," said Blade.
The car then erupted in flames.
"I just broke down and started crying. And I look up in the window and see my children. Looking out the window," said Blade.
According to UW-Madison's Wisconsin Traffic Operations and Safety (TOPS) Laboratory, 23 people have died over the past five years in Capitol Drive traffic crashes. Wednesday's deaths bring the total to 25.
Kent's grandmother, Victoria Burns, held her grandson's charred cellphone in her hand as she pleaded with the community.
"Hear me. Please, hear my cry," said Burns. "Slow down. Slow down. This was my firstborn grandson. My firstborn grandson. Do I look crazy? No. Because it might be you someday."
Police are still investigating the cause of the crash.
