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Milwaukee Man Charged After Lime Scooter Strikes Nightclub Owner on Sidewalk

The felony charge and the victim’s planned spinal fusion are increasing pressure on city leaders to tighten scooter speed controls and zone restrictions.

Overview

  • A person riding a Lime scooter struck 59-year-old LaCage owner Dave Wolz on a downtown sidewalk, and Wolz, who suffered broken ribs, a broken ankle and spinal fractures, is scheduled for spinal fusion surgery after the June 16 collision.
  • Twenty-year-old Jonpierre Cherry was arrested and charged with second-degree reckless injury, a felony that carries up to 12 1/2 years in prison and a $25,000 fine, and the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office will review the case.
  • Dockless scooters are banned from city sidewalks and the crash occurred in a designated reduced-speed “slow zone,” and court documents say Cherry told investigators he knew he should not have been riding on the sidewalk.
  • Downtown Alderman Bob Bauman is preparing a Common Council file to press the Department of Public Works for stricter downtown speed limits and a broader review of the scooter program, and city staff have begun internal safety and enforcement reviews.
  • The incident highlights tensions between heavy scooter use and enforcement: the city logged more than 1.29 million Lime rides and about $728,494 in revenue in 2025 while the DPW recorded hundreds of improper-use reports that year, a backdrop that could drive policy and enforcement changes that affect riders and city income.