Crime & Safety
New Berlin Man Charged in April I-43 Crash
The suspect was charged with his fifth operating while intoxicated charge after he drove at more than 100 miles per hour and crashed into a wall near South 51st Street.
A 32-year-old New Berlin man is facing charges after he crashed his car on I-43 eastbound while driving recklessly after taking multiple drugs, causing two lanes of the expressway to close temporarily.
Matthew A. Epton was charged in Milwaukee County Circuit Court on Thursday with one count of fifth-offense operating while intoxicated and one count of operating a motor vehicle with a restricted controlled substance in his blood. If convicted, he faces up to six years in prison and $10,000 in fines.
According to the criminal complaint:
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At 1:34 p.m. April 22, Milwaukee County sheriff’s deputies were called to I-43 near South 51st Street after someone reported a car crash. When they arrived, they found Epton being taken out of his severely damaged car by workers and placing him on a back board.
Witnesses said Epton came past doing more than 100 miles per hour and weaving in between traffic before hitting the side wall, careening across all three lanes of traffic, then crashing into the center median wall. Two lanes of traffic were shut down while rescue workers cleared the scene.
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Deputies noticed the smell of marijuana in the car and discovered a glass pipe along with a bottle of Tramadol inside.
Epton was taken to Froedert Hospital for treatment and a blood test. The test revealed he had THC, a cocaine metabolite, Benzoylecgonine and Tramadol in his system at the time of the crash.
Epton was previously convicted of driving under the influence in 1998, 2001, 2005 and 2008. He will make his initial appearance in court July 27.
