KENOSHA, Wis. — A man just months away from his 21st birthday was charged with two counts of Homicide by Intoxicated Use of Vehicle, after authorities say he drove a truck into a building in Kenosha, killing two people and seriously injuring two others.
20-year-old Ajay Gregory Pierangeli of Pleasant Prairie was also charged with Injury by Intoxicated Use/Vehicle and OWI Cause Injury 2+. If found guilty he could spend more than 60 years in prison and face thousands of dollars in fines.
According to a criminal complaint, Pierangeli was allegedly intoxicated when he was driving the red pickup truck and crashed into the Play It Again Sports at 4017 75th Street in Kenosha, on the morning of July 28, 2023.
At the scene of the crash, first responders found four people unconscious in the truck and one person conscious and breathing.
Authorities later identified two people killed in the crash as Dylan Zamora and Jenna Barrette.
One of the survivors of the crash later told police that night they had been drinking at a "hangout" in the city. He said no one was wearing seat belts. The survivor said he did not think the driver was speeding.
About 20 minutes into the drive, he said Pierangeli lost control of the vehicle and crashed.
An ambulance driver out on the road who encountered the people in the truck before the crash, told police the driver seemed "out of it", blew kisses and then drove an estimated 70 miles per hour. The ambulance driver says he saw the vehicle briefly jump into the air and then disappear down the road. A short time later the ambulance driver discovered the truck had crashed into a building.
Doctors say Pierangeli had a blood alcohol concentration of .282, according to the complaint.
According to online court records, an arrest warrant was issued for Pierangeli on Aug. 15.
Two victims remain in critical condition as a result of the crash, a 21-year-old man and a 20-year-old man. The fifth person in the vehicle, a 20-year-old, was treated at a local hospital and released, according to previous TMJ4 News reporting.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
