Inset: Duan K. Maiden II (Ozaukee County Jail). Background: The Jackson, Wis., intersection where the alleged hit-and-run took place (Google Maps).
A Texas man has been jailed in Wisconsin after allegedly striking a bicyclist while driving drunk and then leaving the scene, according to Badger State law enforcement.
Duan K. Maiden II, 32, is charged with hit-and-run resulting in great bodily harm, intoxicated use of a vehicle resulting in great bodily harm, fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, and resisting or obstructing an officer, authorities in two counties said.
The crash happened Sept. 3 at the intersection of Western Avenue and Division Road in Jackson, a small town on the far northwestern edge of the Milwaukee metropolitan area, according to a criminal complaint filed in Washington County.
A witness told investigators Maiden was driving “the striking vehicle” eastbound at a high speed and “never stopped for the stop sign” at the intersection, the charging document states.
“Witness 1 stated that the car then struck the bicyclist in the intersection, and kept going eastbound on Western Avenue,” the complaint says. “Witness 1 described the vehicle as a gray sedan.”
The bicyclist suffered a compound leg fracture as well as fractures to his pelvis and spine or neck, law enforcement said.
A sheriff’s deputy recovered several pieces of plastic vehicle debris from the scene and located serial numbers on them, according to the complaint. The deputy used Google AI to determine the vehicle was likely a Nissan Versa.
Later that night, dispatch connected investigators with a man who said he had been riding in the vehicle Maiden was driving when the hit-and-run occurred, the complaint alleges.
Earlier that day, Maiden and the man had a break in their canvassing work while waiting for another assignment, according to the charging document. During that time, the man said he watched Maiden purchase a bottle of vodka and take a drink from it. The two then ate pizza and listened to music for more than an hour, the complaint says.
“[T]here was a period of time while in the parking lot when the defendant left the car while Witness 4 remained inside, and the defendant was out of sight,” the charging document reads. “Witness 4 stated that besides the defendant’s driving behavior, the defendant did not appear intoxicated.”
That was at first, the man told law enforcement.
Later, the man said, and roughly 1 mile before the crash, Maiden “started acting weird,” according to the complaint.
“The defendant would begin driving in the opposite lane, and Witness 4 would have to tell the defendant that there was another car ahead of them,” the charging document goes on. “[T]hey were coming up to a stop sign, and the defendant pulled up yielding, failing to stop at the stop sign. The defendant then sped up.”
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Then, when the bicyclist appeared, “their vehicle was too far in motion to stop,” the man said, estimating they were traveling at 35 to 40 mph, according to law enforcement. That’s “when the defendant struck the bicyclist with the front passenger area of their vehicle,” the man said.
The passenger, who does not drive, said he reasoned with Maiden to stop and call police, to no avail.
“The defendant said, ‘naw man,’ and that ‘he’s ok,'” the complaint reads. “The defendant then continued driving from the scene.”
Eventually, the other man got out and called 911.
“The information we got from the passenger, he was telling him you hit that person we need to stop and the driver said we’re not stopping we’re going,” a Washington County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson told Milwaukee-based ABC affiliate WISN. “It’s hard to believe that someone could do that to another human.”
Eventually, with the other man’s help, law enforcement identified Maiden while he was driving, and after some effort, convinced him to pull over, according to the charging document.
Later, authorities performed field sobriety tests and Maiden failed half of them, law enforcement officials claim. A breath test returned a preliminary blood alcohol level of 0.268%, or more than three times the legal limit in Wisconsin, according to the complaint.
During an interview, the defendant said he “works for a company that canvasses neighborhoods for the upcoming Wisconsin governor race,” according to the charging document. Maiden also recounted the time period during which he left the other canvasser alone in the parked car.
“The defendant stated that they were there for one hour, the complaint goes on. “[Maiden] went into the store and bought 4 BuzzBallz alcoholic drinks, which he believed to be about 15% ABV. The defendant admitted to consuming all four BuzzBallz, and did it outside the presence of Witness 4.”
Maiden allegedly said he did not recall hitting anyone, or the other man telling him about the bicyclist.
“The defendant did state that he felt terrible and if he knew he hit someone, he would have stopped,” the complaint concludes.
The post Deputies use Google AI on vehicle debris left at scene to trace drunk driver after hit-and-run leaves bicyclist injured, police say first appeared on Law & Crime.