Child becomes 6th fatality in Waukesha parade crash

An 8-year-old died Tuesday from injuries sustained when an SUV drove through a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wis., over the weekend, the sixth fatality stemming from the crash.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported the latest victim was Jackson Sparks, who was marching in the Waukesha Christmas Parade with his baseball team.

A GoFundMe page created for the Sparks family said Jackson’s brother, 12-year-old Tucker, sustained a fractured skull but was recovering from his injuries and expected to be discharged from the hospital. It also confirmed Jackson had died, despite undergoing brain surgery Sunday evening.

Darrell Brooks, 39, is accused of being behind the wheel of the maroon SUV that plowed through the crowd at the Christmas parade. He has been charged with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide, and prosecutors said they will consider a sixth homicide charge.

Other victims of the crash include members of the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies, the group announced.

“The Milwaukee Dancing Grannies are [devastated] by this terrible [tragedy] with of loss of life and injuries in the Waukesha Christmas parade,” the group said in a Facebook post on Monday. 

Prosecutors also revealed at a bond hearing for Brooks Tuesday that 62 people were injured. 

Brooks’s bail was set at $5 million because the judge said he believed Brooks was a flight risk, CNN reported.

He had been released from jail on Friday, just days before the crash, after being taken into custody and charged with resisting or obstructing an officer, reckless homicide, disorderly conduct, bail jumping and battery.

The police also said Monday that Brooks was fleeing the scene of a domestic disturbance when he plowed through the parade.