Woman driving without license charged in deadly Middleton pedestrian crash
MADISON (WKOW) — A woman who police say was driving without a license is charged in the death of a pedestrian after a crash in Middleton last week.
Tanna Torrez-Centeno, 25, of Middleton, is charged with knowingly operating a motor vehicle without a valid license – cause death, a class H felony.
The crash happened Thursday near the intersection of Branch Street and Century Avenue. It was reported just before 6 a.m.
According to the criminal complaint, Middleton police officers found the victim, a 68-year-old woman, with a faint pulse before she was transported to a hospital. She was pronounced dead a few hours later.
Torrez-Centeno told police she did not have a license but was in the process of applying for one. It was later learned through Department of Transportation records that Torrez-Centeno was given a citation in the Village of Waunakee Municipal Court for failure to stop for a school bus and that she did not have a driver's license.
MIDDLETON, Wis. (WKOW) — A 68-year-old woman was killed after being struck by a vehicle near the intersection of Branch Street and Century Ave…
Torrez-Centeno was hyperventilating after the crash and repeatedly said, “I'm sorry,” according to the complaint.
Torrez-Centeno told police she was driving westbound on Century Avenue on her way to work.
The traffic signal was green and Torrez-Centeno started a left turn toward Branch Street. She said she looked west towards Century Avenue to watch for oncoming traffic and was not looking in the direction she was turning, according to the complaint.
Torrez-Centeno said she did not see the victim at any point prior to hitting her. She told police she didn't think she was speeding and tried to stop before impact.
A witness estimated the speed of the vehicle to be between 30-35 mph, according to the complaint. The witness, who lives in the same building as the victim, said she walked with a cane.
The victim was hit with the front driver's side of the vehicle. The medical examiner's initial cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, the complaint stated.
Torrez-Centeno made her initial appearance in Dane County Court on Monday. A signature bond was set at $500. A court commissioner ordered she not have contact with the victim's family and cannot operate a motor vehicle.
A plea of not guilty was entered and time limits were waived for a preliminary hearing.
A status conference is scheduled for June 22.