Milwaukee, WI
Mother pleads guilty to punching Milwaukee teacher
A Milwaukee parent pleaded guilty Thursday to charges she beat up a Milwaukee Public Schools teacher in front of more than a dozen students.
Tangreanna Shanks-Wallace, 25, of Milwaukee, was charged in Nov. 9, 2022 of battery to a school district officer, a Class-I felony.
Prosecutors agreed to drop a misdemeanor count of bail jumping against Shanks-Wallace, but the charge will be read into the record for sentencing purposes, online court records show.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 9 before Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Kori Ashley.
How did things unfold?
According to a criminal complaint, police were called to the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School on a complaint that a parent who was talking to the principal and a teacher began shouting and yelling expletives at the teacher outside the school.
Roughly 15-20 students were present at the time of the incident.
According to the complaint, the parent, later identified as Shanks-Wallace, was with a man, an older woman and a student at the time. A staff member told police she heard the man had a firearm, but she didn’t see one.
More: Former Oak Creek teacher lied to investigators, tried to have report, suspension removed, report says
The complaint said Shanks-Wallace punched a teacher in the head when the staff member called police to report “people were attacking the staff.” The teacher fell to the ground and was punched 15-20 times in the head, and later was treated for a concussion.
Shanks-Wallace was charged after she was identified from a photo array as the attacker, according to the complaint.
Milwaukee, WI
What are the road conditions in and around Milwaukee Thursday morning?
Drone view: Winter wonderland from the snow in the Milwaukee area
Check out a drone view of the winter wonderland from Thursday’s snow around the Milwaukee area.
As Milwaukee sees its first snowfall of the season Thursday morning, you should brace for some tricky road conditions on your morning commute.
Two to four inches of wet, heavy snow is possible in the Milwaukee area, making for a “messy morning commute,” the National Weather Service Milwaukee wrote on X. Motorists should drive slowly and with caution throughout the morning, NWS said.
Here’s what to plan ahead for if you’re commuting in Milwaukee on Thursday.
What are the road conditions in and around Milwaukee this morning?
As of 8:15 a.m. Thursday, all of Milwaukee and its surrounding areas — including Interstates 41, 43 and 94 — were seeing “slippery stretches,” according to 511 Wisconsin. Several highways are also seeing one or more lanes blocked due to crashes or stalled vehicles.
If you’re traveling on I-94 this morning, NWS wrote on X that conditions south of the I-94 corridor, especially between Milwaukee and Madison, would “quickly deteriorate” as snow continues.
In affected areas, drivers should plan for slushy snow accumulation and low visibility on the roads, NWS said.
Accidents reported in Milwaukee on Thursday morning
As of 8:15 a.m. Thursday, several crashes or incidents have been reported in Milwaukee that could affect traffic, 511 Wisconsin reported:
- 7:49 a.m. – I-794 West 1.3 miles beyond the ramp from Carferry Road. The center lane is blocked due to a crash.
- 7:44 a.m. – I-43 South at ramp from Wisconsin Avenue. The left shoulder is blocked due to a crash.
- 7:50 a.m. – Ramp from I-94 East to I-43/94 South. Shoulders are closed due to a disabled vehicle.
- 7:51 a.m. – I-794 West at Michigan Street. The right shoulder is blocked due to a disabled vehicle.
- 7:52 a.m. – I-43 South at I-794 East. The center lane is blocked due to a crash.
- 7:57 a.m. – I-43/94 North at Ramp from 6th and Mineral Street. The center lane is blocked due to a disabled vehicle.
Accidents reported in Milwaukee suburbs on Thursday morning
- 7:15 a.m. – Disabled vehicle on ramp from Burleigh Street to I-41/US 45 North.
- 7:22 a.m. – I-94 West 1.3 miles beyond the ramp from Highway 100. The right shoulder is blocked due to a crash.
- 7:23 a.m. – I-43 North at Hampton Avenue East. The left shoulder is blocked due to a crash.
- 7:37 a.m. – I-94 West at ramp from Moreland Boulevard East. The right shoulder is blocked due to a crash.
- 7:42 a.m. – Highway 38 South at Air Cargo Way (by the Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport). The right lane is closed due to a crash.
- 7:52 a.m. – I-41/894 South 0.3 miles beyond the ramp from National Avenue. The right shoulder is blocked due to a disabled vehicle.
- 7:54 a.m. – Ramp from I-94 West to I-41/US 45 North. The right shoulder is blocked due to a disabled vehicle.
- 8:05 a.m. – I-41/US 45 North at North Avenue. The 3 right lanes are blocked due to a disabled vehicle.
To look up road conditions on your morning commute, check out 511 Wisconsin’s live map.
Milwaukee, WI
Family: Missing Milwaukee girl found safe, gas station taped off
Winter Weather Advisory
from THU 6:00 AM CST until THU 12:00 PM CST, Racine County, Sheboygan County, Dodge County, Ozaukee County, Washington County, Milwaukee County, Fond Du Lac County, Jefferson County, Waukesha County, Kenosha County, Walworth County
Milwaukee, WI
Mother of Riverwest hit-and-run victim looking for accountability
MILWAUKEE — Monday night was terrifying for Ashley Kirkwood. She received a call from her daughter that no parent ever wants to hear.
Kennedy Kirkwood, 16, was crossing Locust on Holton in Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood when she was hit by a black SUV turning onto Locust.
The car slowed down but then drove off without checking on Kennedy. The teenager was left alone, injured, and in the rain.
“It’s just heartbreaking that we’ve become a culture of, ‘Okay, we’re just going to leave a person like that,’” Kirkwood said.
Ashley spoke with TMJ4 about the incident, saying watching the video was difficult for her.
“As parents, that’s something you always worry about,” Kirkwood told TMJ4.
Watch: Mother of Riverwest hit-and-run victim looking for accountability
Family speaks out after 16-year-old injured in hit-and-run near Holton and Locust
She works on the other side of the city and couldn’t be there immediately, so she turned to social media.
Kirkwood posted about the incident on the Riverwest Facebook page.
“Thankfully, within minutes, Riverwest responded,” Kirkwood said. “Over 100 comments, and they were right out here.”
Helpful neighbors stayed with Kennedy until authorities arrived to take her to Children’s Hospital. Kirkwood said she’s grateful to the Riverwest community for their support.
Kennedy is safe at home, but now Kirkwood is looking for answers.
She told TMJ4 she spoke to authorities the night of the incident and called them back after obtaining video of the accident. As of Wednesday afternoon, she had not heard back from police about any updates on the incident.
“I understand that she wasn’t injured to the point where it’s something we’re seeing every day, but we need to take this seriously, and people need to be held accountable,” Kirkwood said.
Kirkwood plans to reach out to Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs and Mayor Cavalier Johnson about the situation.
Milwaukee police say they are looking for the driver of a black SUV. Anyone with information is urged to call authorities at (414) 935-7252.
Kirkwood told TMJ4 she understands things happen, but choosing to leave the scene is unacceptable.
“This was a human being, and we left her out in the rain after running her over,” Kirkwood said.
Talk to us:
Hey there! At TMJ4 News, we’re all about listening to our audience and tackling the stuff that really matters to you. Got a story idea, tip, or just want to chat about this piece? Hit us up using the form below. For more ways to get in touch, head over to tmj4.com/tips.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip
-
News1 week ago
Herbert Smith Freehills to merge with US-based law firm Kramer Levin
-
Business1 week ago
Column: OpenAI just scored a huge victory in a copyright case … or did it?
-
Health1 week ago
Bird flu leaves teen in critical condition after country's first reported case
-
Business4 days ago
Column: Molly White's message for journalists going freelance — be ready for the pitfalls
-
World1 week ago
Sarah Palin, NY Times Have Explored Settlement, as Judge Sets Defamation Retrial
-
Politics3 days ago
Trump taps FCC member Brendan Carr to lead agency: 'Warrior for Free Speech'
-
Science2 days ago
Trump nominates Dr. Oz to head Medicare and Medicaid and help take on 'illness industrial complex'
-
Technology3 days ago
Inside Elon Musk’s messy breakup with OpenAI