A former Milwaukee County Transit System bus driver has been charged after prosecutors say he was intoxicated while on duty and fatally hit a pedestrian in Greenfield on Nov. 22.
Dameon Peters, 55, of Milwaukee, is charged with one count of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle. If convicted, Peters faces up to 25 years in prison, a fine of up to $100,000, and a five-year revocation of his driving privileges.
Peters is not in custody and a warrant was issued for his arrest on Jan. 15.
Greenfield officers found victim unresponsive in roadway
According to the criminal complaint filed Jan. 14:
At 6:48 p.m. Nov. 22, Greenfield police were dispatched to the intersection of 56th Street and Forest Home Avenue for a report of a man lying on the ground not moving. As officers were on the way to the scene they learned the man was not breathing and that bystanders had begun CPR.
When officers arrived, they found the victim — later identified as 61-year-old George Kayser — lying in the middle of the intersection surrounded by about 10 bystanders, the complaint states. Officers observed significant injuries to the left side of Kayser’s face and took over CPR. A bystander told police the man may have been hit by a Milwaukee County Transit bus parked nearby.
Despite life-saving efforts from fire and medical personnel, Kayser was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy later determined he died from multiple blunt force injuries to the head, torso and extremities consistent with being struck by a motor vehicle, according to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office.
MCTS video captured the moment of impact
Greenfield police made contact with the MCTS driver, identified as Peters. Peters told officers he was making a turn onto Forest Home Avenue and saw a person walk into the intersection. Peters said he attempted to steer away and heard a thud, but did not realize he had hit anyone until he saw a person lying in his rearview mirror, at which point he stopped and called MCTS for help.
A Greenfield officer accompanied Peters to St. Luke’s Medical Center for a consensual blood draw. The sample was sent to the Wisconsin State Crime Lab for analysis. Toxicology results showed Peters had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.236% — nearly three times the legal limit of 0.08%.
Peters was initially suspended pending an internal investigation and was fired two days later, according to MCTS. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reached out to MCTS for additional comment, but did not immediately hear back.
MCTS video revealed the moment Peters struct Kayser
Investigators reviewed internal MCTS bus video footage beginning at 3 p.m. and continuing through the time of the crash at approximately 6:47 p.m. Authorities say the footage shows Peters appeared to be squinting, driving with one eye closed, or struggling to focus. In one instance around 5 p.m., the bus appeared to strike a curb, and at other points, it crossed the white line separating the bike lane from traffic.
As the bus approached the intersection of 56th and Forest Home, the video showed Kayser walking across the street. During this time, Peters appeared to be blinking, slowly closing his eyes and squinting until his eyes were almost closed, according to the criminal complaint.
The video then showed a slight steering movement away from Kayser before the side of the bus struck him, causing him to fall to the ground, the complaint states.
After the impact, Peters appeared more alert and was heard on video saying, “goddamn,” “what was that,” “what the f—,” and “was that a person.”
Adrienne Davis is a south suburban reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Got any tips or stories to share? Contact Adrienne at amdavis@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @AdriReportss.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Former MCTS driver charged in fatal crash after testing nearly 3 times legal limit
Reporting by Adrienne Davis, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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