30-year-old Off-duty MPD Officer James J. Nowak Dies After His Vehicle And Semi-truck Crashed In Oak Creek

Nowak passed away a day after he was extricated from his vehicle in a crash with a semi-truck in Oak Creek.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

December 5, 2023

Oak Creek, Wisconsin - On Monday, James J. Nowak, 30, an off-duty Milwaukee Police Officer passed away at Froedtert Hospital after suffering critical and life-threatening injuries on Sunday in a crash with a semi-truck and his vehicle. The crash incident is still under investigation, according to police.

According to Oak Creek police, a semi-truck and Nowak's vehicle crashed and his vehicle became partially wedged underneath the rear of a semi-truck when the accident occurred just before 10:31 p.m. at the 6600 block of Pennsylvania Ave. in Oak Creek on Sunday.

Nowak who was the only passenger in the vehicle suffered critical injuries and was extricated from his vehicle and transported to Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee where he was placed in a life support machine, but eventually succumbed to his injures.

According to social media posts, Nowak's body is being kept alive by a life support machine until organ recipients are found. Nowak was declared deceased due to head trauma causing irreversible brain damage (brain dead/minimal function). 

The driver of the semi-truck and passenger remained at the scene, according to Oak Creek police.

Police and the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office haven't confirmed, if alcohol or speed contributed to the fatal crash.

Update: The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office pronounced Nowak deceased on Wednesday, December 6, 2023 at 8:45 p.m. after he was disconnected from a life-support machine that kept his body aluve for organ donations. Nowak had been declared brain dead with minimal function on Monday. Nowak was an organ donor.

Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA)

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