MILWAUKEE — An early morning crash caused a vehicle to slam into a small business near 84th and Capitol on Saturday. A.J. Ugent Furs is now boarded up and the owner says his customers are afraid to travel to his shop and bring him business because of the reckless driving in the area.
"This is non-stop. Do you hear me? It's always an accident over here," said Genevia Moore, who lives just a few blocks away from the intersection where the crash happened. "They drive down this way going 80 mph. I almost got hit over here across the street. I had the right of way, a guy was taking a right-hand turn and almost ran me over."
It was no surprise to Moore when she saw the boarded-up shop.
Surveillance video obtained by TMJ4 News shows a car traveling east on Capitol Drive and crashing into another car that was making a left turn, according to police. Police say no one reported injuries.
"It was no surprise. It really wasn't a surprise. You see it overnight when you drive around. You don't even need to be doing anything, somebody will pass you doing 90 mph in the right lane and two other cars behind it — It just keeps happening," said Mike B, who passed the crash shortly after it happened and shared a video with TMJ4 News.
The owner of the shop, Rodney Ugent, invited TMJ4's Ryan Jenkins inside for a closer look at the damage. He didn't want to be interviewed but said this is the third time in as many years that his shop has been crashed into. He said his customers are telling him they're scared to bring him business because of all of the reckless driving.
"I'm sick and tired of it. I'm sick and tired of these idiots that have no regard for human life. I mean, literally, it's a weapon on four wheels," said Milwaukee Alderman Lamont Westmoreland who represents the district where the crash happened.
Jenkins went to Milwaukee's city hall to ask Westmoreland about the impacts of reckless driving in the neighborhood.
Jenkins: "If these businesses were to have to leave because of reckless driving, what would the impact be on the neighborhood?"
Westmoreland: "Bad. I mean it's a domino effect. One business leaves, other businesses could leave. That's the last thing we want."
He's hoping policy changes and the new 2% sales tax increase, set to take effect in January, can help combat the destruction.
"I know money is a thing but those bump outs, they do work. They do slow traffic down but those need to go all the way to HWY 100 and Capitol," said Westmoreland.
He hopes the sales tax increase can also help add more police to the force to help hold people accountable.
Still, at the end of the day, he said this is a societal issue and he needs neighbors to bring ideas to solve these issues to the table.
"The people that are driving recklessly, I'm coming for you. I am coming for you and I mean that with every ounce of energy," said Westmoreland.
Back at 84th and Capitol, Ms. Moore would like to see changes to the law to allow traffic enforcement cameras in the area.
"I got caught in Tennessee on that and it cost me $169 and I'll never forget it, just going through a caution light," she said.
Calls for new engineering and increased enforcement at an intersection no stranger to crashes.
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