Tragic Turn: Birthday Celebration Ends in Fatal River Incident

In Wisconsin, a man has been incarcerated following a tragic incident involving a woman celebrating her birthday. The man, while driving at high speed with a revoked license, struck and killed the woman before fleeing the scene, authorities report.

Shanton Lay, aged 34, faces charges for knowingly operating a vehicle without a valid license, resulting in death, and for fleeing the scene of the accident. According to a probable cause arrest affidavit accessed by Law&Crime, Milwaukee police were called to the 7200 block of 76th Street shortly before 12:30 a.m. on October 11, responding to reports of a pedestrian being hit.

Upon arrival, officers discovered Keiarria Travis unconscious and struggling to breathe. Despite the efforts of first responders, she succumbed to her injuries at the scene.

Video footage reviewed by investigators showed the victim attempting to cross the street, pausing in the median, and then stepping into the northbound lanes. At that moment, a dark-colored vehicle, moving at a “high rate of speed,” collided with her and continued driving without stopping, as indicated in the footage.

Later that day, around 2:40 p.m., the suspect approached a Milwaukee police officer outside the District 4 station. He identified himself as the driver involved in the deadly accident, according to the complaint.

“I f—ing killed somebody,” he allegedly said.

Lay said he “panicked” and fled the scene, cops wrote. He told the cops where he parked the car — he had been driving his girlfriend’s Mazda. Cops located the vehicle, which had “extreme front end damage.”

In an interview with cops, Lay said he had just left his friend’s house and was driving to the club Prime Social when he struck a woman who was “simply standing in the road, and he did not see her until it was too late.” He admitted to driving away after the crash, but claimed he had not been drinking or doing drugs on the night in question.

“He said that his mind kind of went blank, he was scared, and he drove off,” cops wrote.

Lay also allegedly said his license was revoked due to a prior DUI.

Travis was just two days shy of her 26th birthday and had been at the same club where the suspect was headed, police said. A GoFundMe account described Travis as a “vibrant” singer.

“Keiarria was more than just a talented artist — she was a daughter, a sister, a friend, and a dreamer who inspired everyone around her,” the tribute said. “With a voice that could move hearts and lyrics drawn from her soul, she was chasing her dream of touching the world through music. Every performance, every note she sang carried the passion and hope of someone destined for greatness.”

Lay is at the Milwaukee County Jail on a $30,000 bond. His next court date is scheduled for Monday.