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The suspect in the Waukesha parade tragedy faces more than 70 new charges

Darrell Brooks, left, speaks with a lawyer during a court appearance on Nov. 23, 2021 in Waukesha County Court in Waukesha, Wis. Brooks is now facing new charges related to the Christmas parade tragedy.
Mark Hoffman
/
AP
Darrell Brooks, left, speaks with a lawyer during a court appearance on Nov. 23, 2021 in Waukesha County Court in Waukesha, Wis. Brooks is now facing new charges related to the Christmas parade tragedy.

Prosecutors have filed 71 new charges in their case against the suspect in last November's Waukesha, Wisconsin parade tragedy that left six people dead and dozens more injured.

Darrell Brooks was previously charged with six counts of first-degree intentional homicide related to the victims killed in the crash. Now, he is facing a total of 77 charges, according to online court records reviewed by NPR.

The new charges, filed on Wednesday, include 61 counts of first degree recklessly endangering safety with a dangerous weapon, six counts of committing a hit and run causing a death, two felony charges of bail jumping and two counts of domestic abuse.

Authorities say children and elderly parade performers were among the more than 50 people seriously injured and killed at the Waukesha Christmas Parade.

Waukesha Police Chief Daniel Thompson said previously that Brooks had "intentionally" driven his vehicle into the parade. Authorities have said there is no clear motive as to why Brooks allegedly did so.

Brooks, 39, has not yet entered a plea on the earlier six charges of homicide.

Prior to the parade crash, Brooks was accused of using his vehicle to hurt a woman in a separate incident. According to court records, Brooks confronted a woman outside of a motel, knocking her phone out of her hand and driving off. Authorities said Brooks then returned, punched her in the face and ran her over with his vehicle.

Brooks was out on $1,000 cash bail for this case when he allegedly drove into the parade.

NPR's efforts to contact the Milwaukee District Attorney's Office were unsuccessful.

Brooks islisted as an inmate at Waukesha County Jail. His next court appearance is scheduled for Friday.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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