Young Hero Jason Perenich Jr. Tragically Lost in West Allis Car-Motorcycle Collision
Police respond to the Vigil at the scene of the crash at West Allis; the crowd dispersed
A 21-year-old man died in a car and motorcycle crash on Thursday, September 14, 2023, near 92nd and Arthur in West Allis, Wisconsin, around 6 pm.
What happened at West Allis?
A 21-year-old man was traveling northbound on a motorcycle on 92nd at a high speed when he collided with a car that was turning onto northbound 92nd from Arthur. According to a post on social media, the man on the motorcycle was Jason Jr. The motorcycle rider died at the scene due to his injuries, while the car’s driver was unharmed and remained at the scene to cooperate with the authorities.
A vigil was held at the sight of the accident
A large crowd gathered on September 15, 2023, at the crash scene for Vigil that turned into a traffic hazard. Hundreds of people gathered at the scene, and the air was filled with smoke with cars and motorcycles burnouts on the road. Loud noises of burnouts and fireworks covered the neighborhood. Skid marks from the burnout covered the streets for several blocks.
Police responded to the Vigil
The West Allis Police were called to clear the crowd. Numerous squad cars from multiple agencies dispersed most of the crowd and blocked multiple streets of 92nd and Arthur to control the scene and ensure the public’s safety. The cleaning crew worked through the night to clean the skid marks off the road. According to the reports, the West Allis Police had disbursed most of the crowd around 8:15 pm. A few people returned, but the area remained under the supervision of the Police. No arrests were made at the scene.
The Vigil held in West Allis suffers backlash
The neighbors say they respect the crowd mourning and understand their feelings and need for a memorial and Vigil, but the crowd should do this respectfully and consider the neighborhood. A neighbor, Ben Voropayev, spoke with a news channel and said,
“We don’t want this,” he continues, “I completely understand memorials, and there’s a way of going about it, but they have no consideration for our neighborhood- for us as people.”
The disruptive nature of the Vigil gets backlash on the Internet as well. Several Internet users criticized the manner in which the Vigil was held by disturbing the neighborhood with loud noises and putting everyone’s lives at risk with reckless behavior of wheeling.
Gail M. Nowak Szplett wrote on social media,
“What was the purpose of this? If you want to hold a vigil, do it respectfully and quietly. What about the people who live there? Do you really think they want that? Total disregard for everyone’s safety, complete lack of respect.”
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7trzTqKqpnZWZt7DB0aeYpaGjonuku8xopZ6vo2S5sK%2FApWajmaOku268xKucp6GTnXqrvo4%3D