Lonnie Burke,Tanisha Warren Obituary, Death; – On the early hours of Saturday, a severe collision occurred on the northbound lane of Interstate 43 at National Avenue, specifically on Milwaukee’s High Rise bridge, as reported by witnesses.
“Reports indicate a head-on collision near National Avenue,” was heard over the police scanner while deputies from the Milwaukee County sheriff’s office hurried to the location. A vehicle traveling in the wrong direction collided head-on with an SUV.
The driver of the wrong-way vehicle, identified as 29-year-old Lonnie Burke from Milwaukee, along with his cousin, 29-year-old Aldriana Givens, lost their lives at the scene. Burke’s sister, 31-year-old Tanisha Warren, succumbed to her injuries shortly thereafter. Fortunately, the driver of the SUV and a baby passenger sustained no serious injuries.
“It happened very quickly. It was still dark. I saw headlights and thought, ‘This is not going to end well,’” recounted James Kumrow-Morgan, who was injured when another vehicle struck him while he attempted to evade the wrong-way driver.
“When that individual tried to avoid him and then collided with me, pushing me against the wall, I thought I was either going to fall off the high-rise bridge or roll over,” he stated. Kumrow-Morgan is dealing with back and arm injuries and mentioned that his family’s only vehicle has been rendered unusable.
“Aside from the accident and the tragic loss of life, this situation could be financially crippling for someone who was merely caught in the chaos,” Kumrow-Morgan expressed. He raised concerns about the need for improved safety measures on freeway ramps to prevent wrong-way entries. “It is unfortunate that such incidents occur when technology exists that could potentially avert them,” he remarked.
It remains unclear whether Burke was under the influence at the time of the accident, as autopsy results are still pending. However, a report from the medical examiner indicated that an open bottle of tequila and marijuana were discovered in Burke’s wrecked vehicle, along with marijuana and a substance believed to be cocaine found in his pockets. Newschain reached out to the mothers of the three deceased individuals, but neither chose to provide a comment.
