Milwaukee pursuit and fatal crash; driver sentenced to prison

MILWAUKEE – A Milwaukee man convicted of reckless homicide in the death of two people following a police pursuit and crash was sentenced to prison on Thursday, Oct. 17.

24-year-old Papa Diallo was sentenced to 50 years in prison, and 20 years of extended supervision, for the chase and crash that happened near 27th and St. Paul on April 23, 2024.

In August, Diallo pleaded guilty to two counts of 1st-Degree Reckless Homicide.

He was sentenced to 25 years in prison and 10 years extended supervision for each count, which will be served consecutively. He has credit for 177 days time served.

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As part of a plea agreement, the following charges were dismissed, but read in:

• 2 Counts: Operater Fleeing/Eluding an Officer, Resulting in the Death of Another
• 2 Counts: Felony Bail Jumping
• 1 Count: 1st-Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety

Case details

Diallo was out of jail on a $500 signature bond from Waukesha County in a bail jumping case, after he was pulled over for running a red light.

Late Tuesday night, April 23, the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office says a deputy tried to pull Diallo over.

Instead, Diallo took off and ran a red light at 27th and St. Paul, hitting two vehicles.

Significant damage to one of the vehicles

In one of them was a 69-year-old man and a 65-year-old woman. Both died. The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office identified them as John S. Zablocki and Barbara Zablocki.

“The driver of the second vehicle that was struck, who was the sole occupant, was reportedly uninjured,” said Milwaukee County Sheriff Denita Ball.

“He just slammed into me and then airbags went off and all the smoke and all the other type of junk came off,” said Drew Jefferson, who survived the crash.

Fatal crash at 27th and St. Paul, Milwaukee

The sheriff’s office said Diallo was revived at the scene. A gun and drugs were found, and he shouldn’t have been driving.

Last September, Waukesha County deputies used a drone’s thermal camera to find him hiding in a backyard following a chase and crash.

Diallo was charged in that case, including carrying a concealed weapon and drug charges. He posted a $3,000 bond in that case.

In January 2024, court documents say he ran a red light near 27th and Juneau in Milwaukee. Police say they found a gun magazine and he had a revoked driver’s license.