🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur.
The man accused of driving an SUV into a Christmas parade in Wisconsin has pleaded not guilty to all 77 charges.
Darrell Brooks appeared in court on Friday for a preliminary hearing and was charged with dozens of new counts for the Waukesha Christmas parade attack on November 21, 2021, that claimed the lives of six people, according to WITI in Milwaukee.
The charges include six counts of homicide, 61 counts of reckless endangerment, six counts of hit and run resulting in death, two counts of felony bail jumping, and two counts of misdemeanor battery.
WITI reported that the hearing was attended by lead Detective Thomas Casey, who provided testimony. According to Casey, more than 60 videos have been classified as evidence in the investigation. The videos include those shot by citizens and surveillance cameras. He also discussed his interactions with Brooks.
"The vehicle driving into me, it was a slow speed at that point. Eventually the vehicle made contact with me and I was pounding on the hood yelling for it to stop, which it did not," he said. "Eventually speed increased where I could not keep up with it."
Brooks allegedly drove his Ford Escape through the crowd, running some over while they were on the ground, and at one point allegedly leaned out the driver's side window after a victim landed on his windshield.
"All of the victims who were killed and most of the people that were injured were walking right down the middle of the road in plain view," stated the complaint, stressing that the street "was clearly closed to traffic, there were barricades in place and police present to direct motorists for the entire length of the parade route."
Two days before he allegedly drove through the parade, he was released on a $1,000 bail after allegedly running over the mother of his child in the same vehicle. The woman suffered a broken leg and said that she and Brooks had an argument the day of the parade. After punching her in the face while driving, he allegedly pushed her out of the car and drove off, supposedly driving into the parade minutes later.
Brooks is scheduled to return to court on March 11.
Update 2/11/2022, 1:40 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with more information on Darrell Brooks' history, as well as information regarding his girlfriend.
