A Milwaukee County judge on Monday ruled an 89-year-old Milwaukee woman not competent to stand trial in a Cudahy hit-and-run that injured a 9-year-old girl in a school crosswalk, ordering her into state care in an effort to restore her competency. Criminal proceedings are on hold while medical treatment is arranged, as reported by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Court records identify the defendant as Darlene Adam, according to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The judge ordered her committed to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services for institutional care aimed at restoring competency, CBS58 reports. The Journal Sentinel notes that the court scheduled a status conference for March 26, and set a deadline of May 11, for a doctor’s competency report.
How investigators say the crash unfolded
Prosecutors say the collision happened on Oct. 28 near J.E. Jones Elementary at the intersection of East Ramsey and South Swift avenues, when a silver sedan hit a child who was walking to school with a crossing guard. The 9-year-old was taken to Children’s Hospital with injuries to her arms and legs and abrasions to her head, according to TMJ4.
Video and vehicle clues that led investigators
Investigators reviewing surveillance footage from the Aurora St. Luke’s South Shore hospital parking lot say they spotted a silver sedan that matched the description of the suspect vehicle. It appeared to have fresh damage to the front passenger side, a cracked windshield and what looked like a handprint on the glass. Officers later located the vehicle and interviewed the driver, FOX6 Milwaukee reports.
Driver’s statements in the complaint
In court filings, the driver told investigators she believed a rock had hit her vehicle or that she had run into a construction barrel and said she did not recall seeing a crossing guard, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Prosecutors say witness accounts and the crossing guard’s statement indicated the sedan did not slow down and left the scene after the impact.
Legal process…