Inset: Duan K. Maiden II (Ozaukee County Jail). Background: The intersection where a hit-and-run occurred in Jackson, Wis. (Google Maps).
A Texas man is jailed in Wisconsin after authorities allege he struck a bicyclist while driving under the influence.
Duan K. Maiden II, 32, faces charges of hit-and-run causing great bodily harm, operating a vehicle while intoxicated and causing great bodily harm, fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, and resisting or obstructing an officer, according to authorities in two Wisconsin counties.
The crash happened Sept. 3 at the intersection of Western Avenue and Division Road in Jackson, a small community and Milwaukee suburb on the metro area’s far northwestern edge, according to a criminal complaint filed in Washington County.
A witness told investigators that Maiden was driving “the striking vehicle” eastbound that night and was “flying” toward the intersection, where he allegedly failed to stop at a stop sign.
“Witness 1 stated that the car then struck the bicyclist in the intersection, and kept going eastbound on Western Avenue,” the complaint says. The witness described the vehicle as a gray sedan.
The bicyclist suffered “a compound leg fracture, and some fractures in his pelvis and spine/neck,” according to law enforcement.
A sheriff’s deputy recovered “several plastic car pieces that were left on the scene,” the complaint states. Investigators found serial numbers on the fragments, and the deputy used Google AI to determine that the vehicle was likely a Nissan Versa.
Later that night, dispatch connected investigators with a man who said he had been riding in the vehicle Maiden was driving when the hit-and-run occurred, according to the complaint.
Earlier that day, the defendant and the man had paused their canvassing work while waiting for a new assignment, the charging document says. During that break, the man told investigators, he watched Maiden purchase a bottle of vodka and drink from it. The two then ate pizza and listened to music for more than an hour, according to the complaint.
“[T]here was a period of time while in the parking lot when the defendant left the car while Witness 4 remained inside, and the defendant was out of sight,” the complaint states. “Witness 4 stated that besides the defendant’s driving behavior, the defendant did not appear intoxicated.”
The witness said that appeared to be the case initially.
But later, roughly 1 mile before the crash, Maiden “started acting weird,” the man told law enforcement, according to the complaint.
“The defendant would begin driving in the opposite lane, and Witness 4 would have to tell the defendant that there was another car ahead of them,” the charging document says. As they approached another stop sign, Maiden allegedly slowed without fully stopping, then accelerated.
When the bicyclist entered the vehicle’s path, the man said, “their vehicle was too far in motion to stop.” He estimated the car was traveling between 35 and 40 mph when Maiden allegedly struck the bicyclist with the front passenger side, according to law enforcement.
The passenger, who does not drive, said he reasoned with Maiden to stop and call police, to no avail.
“The defendant said, ‘naw man,’ and that ‘he’s ok,'” the complaint reads. “The defendant then continued driving from the scene.”
Eventually, the other man got out and called 911.
“The information we got from the passenger, he was telling him you hit that person we need to stop and the driver said we’re not stopping we’re going,” a Washington County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson told Milwaukee-based ABC affiliate WISN. “It’s hard to believe that someone could do that to another human.”
Eventually, with the other man’s help, law enforcement identified Maiden while he was driving, and after some effort, convinced him to pull over, according to the charging document.
Later, authorities performed field sobriety tests and Maiden failed half of them, law enforcement officials claim. A breath test returned a preliminary blood alcohol level of 0.268%, or more than three times the legal limit in Wisconsin, according to the complaint.
During an interview, the defendant said he “works for a company that canvasses neighborhoods for the upcoming Wisconsin governor race,” according to the charging document. Maiden also recounted the time period during which he left the other canvasser alone in the parked car.
“The defendant stated that they were there for one hour, the complaint goes on. “[Maiden] went into the store and bought 4 BuzzBallz alcoholic drinks, which he believed to be about 15% ABV. The defendant admitted to consuming all four BuzzBallz, and did it outside the presence of Witness 4.”
Maiden allegedly said he did not recall hitting anyone, or the other man telling him about the bicyclist.
“The defendant did state that he felt terrible and if he knew he hit someone, he would have stopped,” the complaint concludes.
The post Deputies use Google AI on vehicle debris left at scene to trace drunk driver after hit-and-run leaves bicyclist injured, police say first appeared on Law & Crime.
