MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Two young women are recovering from severe injuries after a driver plowed through barricades on Water Street in Milwaukee last month, while their families express frustration over what they see as insufficient response from city officials.
READ ALSO: Crash report reveals victim thrown 20 feet, driver not tested for alcohol in Water Street incident
On July 20, Chloe Handrich and Sam Zganjar were in downtown Milwaukee crossing Water Street, behind barricades that were supposed to be pedestrian safe, when a driver plowed through the barricades and into them.
The driver was cited for failing to yield and driving without insurance or registration.
Friday, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson held a press conference talking about downtown and Water Street specific safety improvements.
You can read details about those safety improvements here.
Karen and Steve Handrich, Chloe Handrich's parents, and Joe Zganjar, Sam Zganjar's dad, talked exclusively with TMJ4's Jenna Rae after the press conference.
"We watched the press conference, with Chloe, and the immediate frustration and from her side and from ours, just, she said I can't believe that he doesn't think that this is more, and I can't believe that he can't seem to find me or to reach out to me," Karen Handrich, mother of Chloe Handrich, said.
Watch: Parents of injured pedestrians frustrated with mayor's response to Water Street crash
Chloe Handrich spent 15 days in the hospital, went through multiple surgeries and blood transfusions, while Sam Zganjar also had surgeries, will need more, has staples in her head, and has to get extensive oral work done.
"The pain and the suffering has just been indescribable," Karen Handrich said.
Joe Zganjar, Sam's father, recalled a conversation with his daughter: "I said just so you know, if this gives you any type of peace, every time I look at you I don't see your missing teeth, I don't see your broken nose, I don't see your broken hand, I see my daughter who you know, this could have been real that I wouldn't have been able to see her again."
TMJ4 first talked with Chloe Handrich and Sam Zganjar's parents weeks ago.
"Would it have been better if Samantha and Chloe weren't here? Would that have made a little more noise," Joe Zganjar asked in July.
It's a question we took Friday to Mayor Johnson.
"Would it?" Rae asked Johnson.
"If their children were dead," Johnson responded.
"Yes," Rae said.
"Of course not, of course not," Johnson said.
"They [the parents] don't feel like enough is being done to stop reckless driving in the city, what's your response," Rae asked.
"We consistently work on issues of reckless driving. My understanding from the particular incident that it wasn't a reckless driving incident. We talk about crashes versus accidents. Accidents still happen, and from what I gather from this, it seems to be an actual accident," Johnson answered.
"I understand accidents happen. You cannot go through barricades and say 'oops that's an accident'," Karen Handrich said.
Since the incident, friends and family of the Handrich's and Zganjar's have sent multiple emails to the mayor's office, city leaders, and even the governor, asking for help.
"I've been trying to locate, maybe you can help get the numbers for those families, Jenna, cause I would like to give them a call," Johnson said.
"For him to say 'Oh Jenna, help us out and get their number,' like, he could've probably done that two weeks ago. At this point, he can probably save his phone call because we don't need to hear from him," Joe Zganjar explained.
"Nobody has attempted to reach out to us," Karen Handrich added.
"We thought maybe police would come and like interview our daughter after she got out of the hospital to see if maybe she remembered things or ... nothing," Steve Handrich echoed.
With the mayor announcing changes to Water Street safety, these parents said, he missed one important thing.
"You need permanent fixtures down there that are going to be steel. Whatever it is so that it does stop a car from barreling through and injuring two innocent victims," Karen Handrich explained.
If there's something you want TMJ4's Jenna Rae to investigate, email her at jenna.rae@tmj4.com.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
