Jail, Probation Ordered After Man Killed Service Dog

A Milwaukee man who hit and killed a Waukesha woman’s service dog – injuring the woman before fleeing the scene – will spend four months in jail during non-working hours while serving two years of probation.

Carlos M. Ward, 30, of Milwaukee, was sentenced for the hit-and-run causing injury Friday. He pleaded guilty to the crime last week. If he violates terms of his probation, he will spend nine months in jail.

Other probation conditions include not operating a vehicle without a license or insurance, receive treatment as prescribed by his agent and to not consume alcohol or drugs. The judge is waiting 20 days to determine restitution in the case.

"It was something that, in the shock of the moment, I panicked and whatever," Ward said, according to Waukesha Patch's media partners WISN 12 News. "I understand how she feels about her dog, and I apologize for harming her dog. I'm cooperating and making sure that everything is getting taken care of."

At 9:45 p.m. June 8, Debbie Schultz and her dog, Lexi, were crossing North Barstow Street near West Broadway when they were hit by a cream-colored Jeep Cherokee while the vehicle was turning from Broadway onto Barstow. The Jeep continued driving without stopped and eventually turned eastbound onto East Main Street.

On June 14, Waukesha police officers were at an unrelated call in the 400 block of East Main when one of the officers noticed the Jeep and realized it matched the description of the vehicle involved in the hit and run. The officers pulled the Jeep over for license plate sticker violations and Ward was driving.

Ward told officers he lives in Milwaukee and worked at People’s Park. When asked if he had been working the night of the accident he said he had and had left work around 10 p.m. Officers noticed damage to the front of the Jeep, which Ward said was from a 2011 incident.

However, officers found what appeared to be dog fur in some of the damage. Ward admitted to being involved in the accident, saying he took a different route home because Main Street was closed for Freeman Friday Night Live. He didn’t see the victim until it was too late because it was dark. He said he never saw a dog and didn’t stop because he didn’t think he hit the victim too hard. Ward then said he’s a very religious man and was very remorseful about the accident, saying he had been concerned about the welfare of the woman days after the accident.

Schultz broke her foot and Lexi died from injuries sustained in the accident. Schultz left a voicemail with Waukesha Patch this week sharing that she is working with a new service dog that is currently completing training.

Schultz told WISN 12 News she was satisfied with the sentence.