MILWAUKEE – The man accused in a Milwaukee hit-and-run that killed two brothers pleaded not guilty and was bound over for trial on Tuesday, May 21.

Luis Perez Garcia, 33, is charged with four felonies in the case. The crash left Ausberto and Michael Gutierrez Ponce dead on May 5.

Case details

It happened near 19th and Lincoln around 2:45 a.m. that morning. A witness told police that she gave her neighbor, Ausberto, a ride home that night and double-parked in the bike lane, so he could get out, according to a criminal complaint. She said Ausberto had already gotten out, and Michael met them out on the street to talk. That’s when a speeding vehicle hit her SUV and the brothers, she said, and drove off.

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Police found debris from the striking vehicle at the scene, which included pieces of plastic with “distinctive markings” on them, per the complaint. That debris was determined to be from a 2013-17 Chevrolet Traverse.

Surveillance video did not show the impact, but did show what appeared to be a 2013-2017 Chevrolet Traverse just west of the scene at the time. The complaint states no other vehicles drove past during that time frame leading up to and after the crash. The same SUV was later seen eastbound on Lincoln Avenue with damage to its passengers’ side headlights – “consistent with having struck another object.”

Later that day, police found a Chevrolet Traverse with heavy damage to its front passenger side near 5th and Arthur – a little more than a mile from the crash scene. Neighbors told police who the SUV belonged to, the complaint states, and an officer went to knock on that door. Perez Garcia answered and was taken into custody.

The next day, detectives interviewed Perez-Garcia. Per the complaint, he admitted to causing the crash and leaving the scene. He said he had left a bar after he drank eight beers, but he “was not drunk” – rather, “buzzed.” He also admitted he does not have a driver’s license, and a review of Wisconsin Department of Transportation records found he had never been issued one.

Perez Garcia is charged with two counts of hit-and-run resulting in death and two counts of knowingly operating a motor vehicle without a valid license causing death. If convicted of all charges, he could face more than 70 years in prison. 

The Grand Rapids Griffins, playing without injured defenseman Simon Edvinsson, fell 5-2 to the Milwaukee Admirals on the road Monday in Game 2 of their AHL playoff series.

The best-of-five series is now tied 1-1 heading into Wednesday’s Game 3 at Grand Rapids’ Van Andel Arena. Game 4 will be Friday in Grand Rapids.

Griffins coach Dan Watson said Edvinsson is day to day with an undisclosed injury. “We’ll see if he’s ready Wednesday,” Watson said.

The game marked the professional debut of 2023 Red Wings first round pick Nate Danielson (drafted ninth overall). The skilled forward had no points, no shots and was minus-1. He said he had a little bit of nervousness.

“I thought I was alright,” Danielson said. “But I think I can definitely be better.”

Watson thought he was sound. “Smart player,” Watson said. “I think he moves well. It’s a tough game to throw him into right away, but he can handle it. He’s used to that type of pressure. I thought he did well, but he will get better as the games go along.”

The Griffins were behind 4-0 before scoring two goals late in the third period to make the game closer. Carter Mazur and Dominik Shine had the Griffins tallies. It was Mazur’s third goal of the postseason.

Sebastian Cossa was in net, stopping 21 of 25 shots. The Griffins got themselves in trouble with three consecutive penalties in the first period.  The Grand Rapids group also gave up a shorthanded goal in the second period.

The Milwaukee Bucks are coming off a disappointing season where they dealt with injuries.

They also made a surprising move by changing head coaches in the middle of the season.

After just 43 games, the team fired Adrian Griffin and very quickly hired Doc Rivers.

Recently, Bobby Portis was on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back and spoke highly of Rivers.

Portis: “I love playing for Doc. You know how it is man? Doc let’s you just rock. If you can score the basketball, if you can do the things he wants you to do on a nightly basis and just lock in on your assignment; Doc just lets you be you. Doc unlocked a new player in me. He took my game to another level.”

Portis finished the regular season with averages of 13.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists per contest while shooting 50.8% from the field and 40.7% from the three-point range in 82 games.

The Bucks were the third seed in the Eastern Conference with a 49-33 record.

However, they lost to the Indiana Pacers in the first round (in six games).

That said, the Bucks did not have two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo for the entire series (and All-Star Damian Lillard missed two games).

Portis was the 22nd pick in the 2015 NBA Draft out of Arkansas and is going into his tenth season in the league.

In addition to the Bucks, he has also spent time with the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks and Washington Wizards.