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    • Milwaukee father charged in drunk driving crash that killed son
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    Milwaukee father charged in drunk driving crash that killed son

    Online Niel Posted on

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    His father Jaylen Sloan, age 5 was charged with six felonies after prosecutors said he drove drunk and crashed at high speed, killing his son and injuring Jaylen’s twin brother.

    Christopher M. Sloan, 34, was charged Wednesday by the Milwaukee District Attorney’s office.

    The six charges include second-degree reckless homicide, second-degree recklessly endangering safety, homicide by intoxicated operation of a vehicle, homicide by intoxicated operation of a vehicle with a prohibited concentration of alcohol, driving knowingly operating an unlicensed vehicle causing death and neglect of a child resulting in death.

    According to a criminal complaint:

    Firefighters and police personnel responded to the scene of the crash near North 81st Street and West Hampton Avenue on Friday to find Christopher Sloan attempting to attack fire personnel and saying he had been shot despite not having a gunshot wound.

    A witness told police he was driving east on Hampton Avenue when he noticed three vehicles crash in the westbound lanes and stopped to help. Christopher Sloan is accused of hitting two parked vehicles before colliding in a yard on Hampton Avenue.

    The witness said he observed Jaylen Sloan’s brother, Jaylon, outside the vehicle while Jaylen was motionless and pinned between the front passenger seat and the dashboard. She said Christopher Sloan became combative with fire personnel as soon as they arrived.

    Jaylen and Jaylon Sloan were eventually transported to Children’s Hospital. Jaylon Sloan survived the crash, but Jaylen Sloan died Sunday at the hospital.

    Another witness said she was traveling west on Hampton Avenue and was stopped at a light at North 76th Street when she noticed the driver of an SUV had the door open and his leg hanging out of the vehicle. When the light turned green, the driver slowed down and when the witness reached 81st Street, he noticed smoke and the same SUV and driver crashed into a front yard, the complaint states.

    The witness called 911 and heard a child, Jaylon Sloan, crying. She then helped him remove Jaylen Sloan from the front passenger seat, where she saw Jaylen Sloan on the floor of the vehicle and unresponsive, according to the complaint.

    A third witness, a nearby resident looking out her window, said she saw the accident and tried to help. She said shortly before the crash, she observed the same SUV in the eastbound lanes driving recklessly at a high rate of speed, weaving back and forth between lanes and coming close to hitting other cars, according to the complaint.

    The witness said he saw the driver’s door open and his arm and leg dangling in the car, laughing and playing loud music. Shortly thereafter, she observed the same SUV traveling westbound at a high rate of speed, driving recklessly with the door open and the driver’s leg still dangling from the car before losing control, striking two parked vehicles and then coming to a stop. states of complaint.

    The witness yelled for her family to call 911 and rushed to the scene of the accident, where she observed the driver “going in and out” of consciousness and then heard a child screaming. She noticed that Jaylon Sloan was not wearing a seat belt and helped him out of the SUV, the complaint states.

    As a witness helped get Jaylon Sloan out of the SUV, she said she yelled “my brother!” and pointed down toward the front passenger seat area where Jaylen Sloan was, according to the complaint.

    The witness said that at this point Christopher Sloan regained consciousness and rushed into the passenger seat to shake Jaylen Sloan’s shoulder and yell, “Yes! Ah! Stand up, brother! Get up! Are you okay?” the complaint states.

    The witness said he told Christopher Sloan not to touch his son until paramedics arrived.

    Christopher Sloan was “continually trying to fight” in the ambulance and was slurring his speech, prosecutors said. He was constantly flailing his arms and legs and at one point tried to hit a fireman. While at the hospital, Sloan tried to hit the nurses, according to prosecutors.

    During his interview with the detective, Christopher Sloan said he did not remember the crash but admitted to drinking alcohol before the crash, according to the complaint. He said he did not have a driver’s license and had never registered his vehicle.

    Jaylen Sloan ‘loved her brother’

    The boys’ mother, Teaira Harriell, told detectives she was not in a relationship with Christopher Sloan and that their custody agreement said it was his weekend to have the boys, the complaint states.

    Approximately 60 people showed up at a community vigil Tuesday night for Jaylen Sloan at the scene of the accident.

    “This is the hardest thing I’ve ever faced in my life,” Teaira Harriell said. “He was very happy, he was very silly, he was very playful, he was very smart, he was just wonderful. I have no words.”

    Jaylen’s grandmother, Cassandra Harriell, said it’s not only a tragedy for her family, but she said far too often children suffer the consequences of adults’ actions.

    “It’s just sad that we’re here again. How many more times? How many more kids? How many more bad choices?” she said.

    “My grandson should be here. There’s no excuse for that, he should be here,” she added. “If you are intoxicated, … you not only put your life in danger, but also the lives of others.

    Cassandra Harriell had happier memories of Jaylen Sloan.

    “He had the biggest smile,” she said. “He loved his brother. They were simply inseparable. And it is a loss, what could have been in life.

    “I will continue to fight for him until I take my last breath for justice to be served.”

    Christopher Sloan made his initial court appearance Wednesday, where bail was set at $200,000. Jaylen Sloan’s family started a GoFundMe Fundraiser to help cover funeral expenses.

    Online Niel
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