Nov. 22—WAUKESHA, WI — The son of a Caledonia firefighter is among the more than 40 people injured after an SUV plowed through a Christmas parade Sunday afternoon, leaving at least five people dead, according to local police.
According to Facebook posts from Firefighter Don Tiegs of the Caledonia Fire Department, his son, Erick Tiegs, suffered a broken femur, multiple broken ribs, a bruised lung and a broken ear bone that was originally feared to have been a skull fracture. He was expected to go into surgery late Monday morning at Children's Wisconsin Hospital in Wauwatosa; that hospital reported taking in 18 patients Sunday related to the parade, ages 3-16.
In a Monday morning post, Don Tiegs wrote "It was a long night for him (Erick). His left leg is in traction and has a c collar (cervical collar) on."
As of Monday morning, Erick Tiegs was one of more than half-a-dozen youths in Children's Hospital's intensive care unit because of the parade tragedy.
According to his own Facebook page, Erick Tiegs is a multi-sport student-athlete at Waukesha South High School.
The Caledonia Police Department on Facebook shared a fundraiser for the family's medical bills that is hosted on the Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin Charitable Foundation website. To donate or learn more, go to bit.ly/3oLkSwm.
Erick Tiegs' brother Tyson was also at the parade, but was unharmed, Don Tiegs said.
Five people — women ages 52, 52, 71 and 79, and an 81-year-old man — died, according to the Waukesha Police Department.
Darrell Brooks Jr. of Milwaukee has been identified as the primary suspect as the driver of the SUV, causing the casualties and fatalities. Multiple media outlets have reported that Brooks has a long criminal history that includes hitting others with cars. The Washington Post has reported that Brooks was fleeing a knife fight when he allegedly ran over participants and spectators on the Waukesha parade route. After his most recent alleged offense, his bail was set at $1,000, which the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office said Monday was "inappropriately low" in retrospect.
The parade is now being considered a "mass casualty incident."
Horrific videos shared online show an SUV plowing through marchers in the parade, old and young, then speeding away from the scene. Police said at least one officer fired at the vehicle, unsuccessfully trying to stop the tragedy.
The area where the horrors occurred are expected to be closed off throughout the day Monday as officers continue to gather evidence.
All Waukesha public schools canceled classes Monday following the tragedy.
According to the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, one priest and several other Catholic parishioners from the area were among those hurt.
___
(c)2021 The Journal Times, Racine, Wisc.
Visit The Journal Times, Racine, Wisc. at www.journaltimes.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
