Jorge Santiago Ramírez, A Milwaukee Wrong-way Driver Facing 45 Years In Prison

Santiago Ramirez drove almost a mile in the wrong-way and crashed head on with a BMW heading northbound on US-41 at the Miller Parkway interchange.

By H. Nelson Goodson

September 8, 2014

Milwaukee, WI - On Monday, the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) confirmed that Jorge Santiago Ramírez, 23, who allegedly drove the wrong-way about a mile of I-94 to Miller Parkway interchange is facing charges on Tuesday for Driving Under the Influence (DUI-2nd) offense/Cause Injury, Injury by Intoxicated Use of Motor Vehicle, Wrong Way on Divided Highway, Operating While Revoked/Cause Great Bodily Harm; Injury by Intoxicated Use of Motor Vehicle, and 2nd Degree Reckless Endangering Safety. If convicted of all charges, Santiago Ramírez faces up to 45 years in prison.

The MCSO news release stated that on early Sunday, the Milwaukee Police Department initially received a call about an abandoned white Nissan on N. 35th Street. Milwaukee Fire and a tow truck responded, but saw two occupants, Santiago Ramírez the driver and his fraternal twin, Chris Ramírez, 23, in the vehicle. When MFD personnel approached, Santiago Ramírez fled and entered I-94 at 35th Street in the wrong direction.

At about 2:30 a.m., the Milwaukee Fire Department called dispatch about a wrong- way driver traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of I-94 at 35th Street. At 2:36 a.m., dispatch aired that the wrong-way driver, Santiago Ramírez had crashed head-on with a vehicle that was traveling northbound on US-41 (Miller Parkway) on the southeast ramp.

Both Santiago Ramírez and Chris, his passenger of the wrong-way vehicle, a white Nissan, were unconscious. Deputies also found empty and full cans of beer in Santiago Ramírez's Nissan.
The female driver of the blue BMW was treated at the hospital for minor leg injuries. Chris Ramírez, who was in the Nissan suffered life-threatening injuries. They remained hospitalized, according to the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office.