MILWAUKEE — An unlicensed Milwaukee driver who killed a father of five while fleeing police is heading to prison.
26-year-old Jaquon Lee-Lamont Benson will spend 18 years behind bars for a crash on May 3, 2024. He admitted to running multiple red lights and fleeing police, eventually striking a minivan and another car near 27th St. and Locust St.
A passenger in the van, 41-year-old Damond Harris, died at the scene. He was anticipating the birth of his fifth child at the time of the crash.
The driver and another passenger in the van were taken to the hospital for injuries. The driver and two passengers in the second car were not significantly injured.
According to the criminal complaint, police began pursuing Benson after he ran a red light at 27th St. and Center St. and officers discovered the vehicle’s license plate was stolen. Benson then sped off on 27th, eventually using the wrong side of the street to pass five cars stopped at a red light before Locust St. At that point Benson struck the minivan, which flipped onto its side, and crashed into another SUV.
Benson then exited his vehicle and fled on foot. Officers caught up to Benson and arrested him.
Police found a handgun with a switch inside Benson’s vehicle. Benson later told police he was holding the gun for a friend and said he had just purchased the car off of Facebook Marketplace. He told investigators he “knew his car wasn’t registered and that he didn’t have a valid driver’s license, and he didn’t want his car to get towed.”
Benson was initially charged with seven felonies including first-degree reckless homicide and three counts of first-degree reckless injury. Online court records show he pled guilty to amended charges including second-degree reckless homicide, second-degree reckless injury and possession and transportation of machine guns. Additional charges were dismissed as part of a plea deal.
Benson has 20 days to appeal his sentence.
