The son of Greendale Police Chief Robert Dams, Nicholas Dams was killed in a motorcycle accident in September, 2005. Nicholas, an A-student who dreamed of someday becoming a police officer just like his father, was driving home after classes from the Milwaukee Area Technical College. He was 20 years old.
Nicholas was struck in the intersection of 13th and Highland Boulevard by Marvell Thomas who was 18 years old at the time of the accident. Thomas was operating without a proper driver’s license. Thomas served no jail time and was issued a citation.
Following Nicholas’ death, I authored a bill in the previous legislative session that required that a person operating a motor vehicle while his or her operating privilege is suspended or revoked and causes the death of another person is guilty of a Class D felony and shall be fined not more than $100,000, imprisoned not more than 25 years, or both. The bill did not pass last session.
The driver that hit and killed Nicholas Dams, under current law, could only be issued a CITATION for driving after revocation and another for failure to yield the right of way. This is not an isolated case. The same scenario happens to people all over Wisconsin victimized by people driving illegally after their licenses are revoked.
Thursday night, Fox 6 News ran an investigative report showing video of Nicholas Dams’ killer, Marvell Thomas, still driving without a license.
Here’s the
Channel 6 story. Please click on the play arrow at the far left side of the video screen after you open the link to see the report.
Hundreds of people are stopped on our roadways for driving after revocation or suspension. This issue needs further review to prevent more innocent people like Nicholas Dams from being tragic victims on our streets and highways.
