A suburban Milwaukee man accused of running a red light and crashing into an Uber car last weekend in Milwaukee and killing three Chicago women who were riding in it has been charged with reckless homicide, authorities said.
Jasen Randhawa, 23, of Mequon, Wisconsin, and a passenger ran away after the crash early Sunday, but he turned himself in on Monday, according to Milwaukee police.
Randhawa was charged Thursday with three counts each of second-degree reckless homicide and hit-and-run involving death, as well as second-degree reckless injury and hit-and-run involving great bodily harm, according to Milwaukee court records.
He also faces four additional felony charges for driving with a revoked license following a previous DUI conviction, records show.
He’s being held on $1 million bail, according to the Milwaukee County sheriff’s office.
TV stations in Milwaukee reported that court records show Randhawa was caught on a video from a nearby taxicab saying, “I know I shouldn’t have drove.”
The crash happened around 3 a.m. Sunday. A 2015 Lexus R350, which was southbound on North Second Street, ran a red light and crashed into the Uber vehicle, a 2013 Ford Fusion, that was heading west on West Clybourn Avenue, police said. Court records show the Lexus was going 63 miles an hour in a 30 mph zone.
Ashley L. Sawatzke, 30, Amy C. Taylor, 32, and Lindsey B. Cohen, 35, all were killed, police said. They were friends who met working at the Chicago advertising agency Energy BBDO.
“Our hearts are broken,” the company said on its Facebook page. “Their absence is deeply felt by everyone at Energy BBDO and well beyond.”
The Uber driver, Timothy Snyder, 41, was hospitalized in critical condition, police said.
