"...when Lee raced his Toyota Supra east on St. Paul Ave. and slammed into Sexton's Chevrolet Cavalier as the latter was making a U-turn.
"
A Milwaukee man was charged Tuesday with killing a motorist in a high-speed crash early Saturday that occurred after drivers had been drag racing on a west side street frequently used for that purpose.
Meng Lee, 19, was charged in a criminal complaint that says he was among the drag racers on W. St. Paul Ave. Friday night and early Saturday and that a passenger in his car told police that Lee was driving about 100 mph shortly before the fatal crash.
Lee, of the 200 block of N. 36th St., was charged with second-degree reckless homicide in the death of Robert Sexton, 41, who suffered a broken neck in the collision in the 2000 block of W. St. Paul Ave. Lee also was charged with second-degree reckless injury in connection with injuries to Sexton's fiancee, Julie Neumann, 38, who suffered a lacerated spleen and liver and two fractures in her back. A charge of second-degree recklessly endangering safety also was issued against Lee in connection with cuts and bruises suffered by Sexton's son, Robert Jr., 15.
The charges against Lee carry prison terms totaling up to 30 years.
The complaint says that after the crash, a blood sample was obtained from Lee and indicated he had a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.031, below the 0.10 considered evidence of intoxication in Wisconsin. Lee acknowledged having three beers that night, according to the complaint.
The criminal charges against Lee did not address the state law that requires absolute sobriety of people under the legal drinking age of 21.
The complaint says the fatal collision occurred about 12:45 a.m. when Lee raced his Toyota Supra east on St. Paul Ave. and slammed into Sexton's Chevrolet Cavalier as the latter was making a U-turn.
Sexton's son and fiancee told police that they did not recall the crash or the events immediately preceding it, the complaint says.
DAVID DOEGE ddoege
Copyright 2002 Journal Sentinel Inc.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
November 20, 2002 Wednesday METRO EDITION
SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 07B
