Man charged with reckless homicide after 95 mph Milwaukee police pursuit ends in deadly crash
CBS 58 MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — A 40-year-old man is facing six felony charges after prosecutors say he led Milwaukee police on a pursuit that reached approximately 95 mph before crashing into another vehicle, killing one person and critically injuring another.
Jordan D. Hall is charged with first-degree reckless homicide, first-degree reckless injury, first-degree recklessly endangering safety, fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, possession of methamphetamine as a second or subsequent offense and felony bail jumping.
Each charge also carries a habitual criminality repeater enhancement.
According to the criminal complaint, Milwaukee police were conducting narcotics surveillance near North 36th Street and West Vliet Street on Oct. 19 when an officer spotted Hall driving a silver GMC Sierra.
Police said Hall was wanted on a Wisconsin Department of Corrections violation. Court records cited in the complaint also showed Hall had failed to appear for a court date in an Oconto County methamphetamine case four days earlier, leading to a bench warrant being issued Oct. 16.
Members of the Milwaukee Police Department's Fugitive Apprehension Unit eventually pulled behind Hall near North 21st Street.
According to the complaint, officers activated the unmarked squad car's emergency lights and siren near the 1300 block of North 21st Street, but Hall allegedly accelerated instead of stopping.
The pursuit lasted approximately 2.3 miles.
Prosecutors say Hall ran three red lights and five stop signs during the pursuit. Investigators said the GMC reached approximately 95 mph while traveling on North 27th Street between West North Avenue and West Clarke Street, where the speed limit is 30 mph.
The complaint says Hall also drove through multiple 20-mph school zones while classes were in session, including areas near James Groppi High School, Frances Stams Early Childhood Center and Clarke Street School.
The pursuit continued toward North 30th Street and West Center Street.
According to investigators, Hall allegedly ran the stop sign at the intersection and crashed into a 2007 Nissan Versa. The impact pushed the Nissan across the street and into a parked SUV.
An officer arriving at the Nissan found severe damage to the passenger side, with the passenger pinned toward the vehicle's center console, according to the complaint.
The passenger, identified as Jose D. Lezama-Flores, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Nissan's driver suffered severe injuries and was taken to Froedtert Hospital. As of Oct. 21, investigators said the driver remained on life support.
The complaint says Hall's GMC overturned onto its side during the crash. Hall and a woman who had been riding in the truck climbed out through the top of the vehicle and were also taken to Froedtert Hospital.
Investigators said the intersection presented an additional danger because a large brick building on the southwest corner obstructs the view between northbound traffic on North 30th Street and eastbound traffic on West Center Street.
An officer who reviewed surveillance video estimated Hall entered the intersection at approximately 55 to 60 mph.
Data recovered from the GMC's airbag control module showed the truck was traveling approximately 64 mph one second before impact, according to the complaint. Investigators said the accelerator pedal and engine throttle were both at 99% at that point.
The posted speed limit on North 30th Street near the crash scene is 25 mph.
Police later searched the GMC and reported finding a clear plastic bag containing 5.2 grams of a crystal-like substance beneath the driver's floor mat.
A field test returned a positive result for methamphetamine, according to the complaint.
Hall was interviewed by investigators two days after the crash.
Before being advised of his Miranda rights, prosecutors say Hall told an investigator he wanted to work but could not find a job, adding, "now I just took a life."
During a phone call with his girlfriend, Hall also allegedly told her he had killed someone.
After waiving his Miranda rights, Hall told investigators he had traveled to Milwaukee to purchase crystal methamphetamine for both personal use and resale, according to the complaint.
Hall allegedly said he panicked when police pulled behind him because he knew there was an active warrant for his arrest and "took off" from the traffic stop.
Later in the interview, the complaint says Hall told investigators, "I should've just stopped."
A preliminary autopsy determined Lezama-Flores suffered extensive blunt-force injuries, including fractures to his skull, vertebrae and ribs, along with injuries to several internal organs.
Court records cited in the complaint show Hall was convicted of felony possession of methamphetamine in Brown County in 2024 and felony bail jumping in 2022.
At the time of the crash, Hall was also out on bond in an Oconto County felony methamphetamine case. Conditions of that bond prohibited him from possessing controlled substances or committing additional crimes.
The case remains pending in Milwaukee County Circuit Court.