Milwaukee Police to crack down on hit and runs

NOW: Milwaukee Police to crack down on hit and runs

Larresa Taylor lost her cousin Sylvia Tiwara when a driver in stolen car ran a stop sign and slammed into the car she was riding in.

"Being a pastor, being a spokesperson for not only the members of her church, but for people who lived around her church," Taylor said. "She was also a daycare owner."

The driver and passengers in that stolen car ran off.

"It's very devastating to the family to lose, if they're losing a loved one," Taylor said. "But it's also that there's no justice being served."

State data shows hit and runs have increased every year since 2013 in Milwaukee, Alderman Terry Witkowski says it needs to be stopped.

"I was shocked to see how many hit and runs there were, with one year, up to 23 people killed in hit and run crashes," Witkowski said. "That is not ordinary."

Milwaukee police say they have plan to crack down, with three main components.

Engineering, education, and obviously enforcement," Assistant Chief Michael Brunson said. "Working together. Getting that message out to the public that these type of things are taken seriously by the department, and that we will follow up."

Taylor says an effective strategy would mean a lot.

"It is a shame that you have to lose a loved one to see some changes occur, but I would rather see those changes occur, so that we don't lose anymore."

All the suspects involved in the hit and run crash that killed Tiwara have been arrested. Milwaukee police plan to release specifics of their new plan on Monday.

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