School Offers Counseling After Student's Death in Fatal Crash

Lisandra Muñoz Sanchez, 16, died in a fatal crash Monday (March 7) near 13th and Bolivar street in Milwaukee around 3:30 p.m. Her brother, who was the 18-year-old driver, could face second degree reckless homicide.

Both are students at St. Anthony High School. José Vasquez, who’s the president of St. Anthony Schools, said they are offering counseling and support services.

"She was very popular, she was a very happy young lady, one that many of their students liked to interact with,” Vasquez said. “At this moment there’s a tremendous amount of sadness at the school and there's also worry and concern for her brother who is injured. The students are also concerned about him."

The victim’s brother was drag racing, lost control and slammed into a cement mixer truck making a right turn, according to the medical examiner’s report released Tuesday. The brother was taken to the hospital and was arrested.

The other driver drag racing left the scene, police said.

Lisandra wasn’t wearing a seat belt and the air bags didn’t deploy. She died at the scene.

St. Anthony Schools plan a special mass on Friday to commemorate Lisandra. The students are also helping to raise money to help the family.

"I was walking the school this morning and I could see sadness, I could feel it in comparison to other days,” Vasquez said. “I heard that our students were going to dedicate a page in the annual yearbook to her and to her memory and I think that's a very special memento to never forget her."

St. Anthony is helping the family with funeral arrangements. It will take place at St. Anthony Parrish, however, the date is pending. 

The investigation is ongoing and the case will be presented to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office in the coming days.  

Milwaukee Alderman José Perez offered the following statement:

I join other members of the South Side community today in grieving the death of a 16-year-old girl, a student at St. Anthony School, who was killed when the car in which she was riding crashed into a cement truck yesterday at S. 13th Street and W. Bolivar Ave.

Our thoughts and prayers are also with her 18-year-old brother, who was driving when the crash happened, and all of their friends, family and neighbors.

The sad truth is that police say high speeds likely played a role in causing this crash. While it pains me to say it, this tragedy may have been entirely preventable.

Please remember that, as the temperatures climb, so too does the incidence of speeding and reckless driving. Parents, please talk to your children about the importance of driving the speed limit, obeying traffic signals and operating in a safe manner.

This sort of thing happens far too often in our community.

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