8-year-old dies from injuries in Waukesha parade crash
Jackson Sparks, 8, died on Tuesday as a result of the injuries he sustained Sunday when a man drove his SUV into the crowd at a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
Sparks is the sixth person to die in the incident, and the first child. The other five people who died range in age from 52 to 81.
The criminal complaint filed against suspect Darrell Brooks Jr., 39, states that 62 people were injured in the crash. On Tuesday, Brooks was charged with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide; if convicted, he will receive a mandatory life sentence. Waukesha County District Attorney Susan Opper said additional charges related to Sparks' death will be filed within the next week. A preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 14.
The criminal complaint alleges that Brooks was speeding away from law enforcement when he drove into the Waukesha Christmas parade. One police officer at the scene fired three shots at Brooks' SUV, but he did not stop. One witness told law enforcement the car "appeared to be intentionally moving side to side," while another stated "it was like the SUV was trying to avoid vehicles, not people. There was no attempt made by the vehicle to stop, much less slow down." Earlier this month, Brooks was released on bail after being accused of intentionally hitting a woman with his car in Milwaukee County.
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