Milwaukee man accused of driving in wrong direction toward Kamala Harris’ motorcade

A 55-year-old Milwaukee man has been charged with second-degree reckless endangerment after driving the wrong way on Interstate 94 while intoxicated — and to Vice President Kamala Harris’ motorcade on Monday.

Wayne Wacker was driving westbound in the lane between Marquette Interchange and 16th Street as Harris’ motorcade drove toward the lake before being stopped by a Milwaukee County sheriff’s deputy. Wacker told police he had no idea Harris was in town and had no intention of harming her or anyone on the campaign trail.

Wacker’s blood-alcohol content was 0.252, according to a breathalyzer test, according to a criminal complaint filed Friday.

The complaint states that after he was pulled over, Wacker told police he “doesn’t remember entering the freeway or nearly hitting another vehicle.” The police watched Wacker with bloodshot glass eyes; extremely slurred speech; and had a “very strong odor of intoxicants” around him, the complaint said.

Walker told police he was returning home after visiting Walker’s Point Bar.

The incident was caught on camera by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. The complaint cites this video as showing the Wacker passing other vehicles at “near highway speeds.”

Joe Bisk, a spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service, said in a statement Tuesday night: “The U.S. Secret Service is aware of an incident involving a motorist driving in the opposite direction on a highway while the vice president was in her motorcade. We are grateful to the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office for their response, which allowed them to stop the driver and take the driver into custody.”

The Harris campaign deferred comment to the Secret Service.

The vice president was in the district campaigning in Waukesha County the presidential election is less than two weeks away.

It also follows another incident involving the Harris campaign in Milwaukee. Last month, vans of reporters followed the motorcade of Democratic presidential candidate Tim Walz were involved in an accident on Interstate 794 in Milwaukee, just north of the Layton Avenue exit.

Both come as Secret Service scrutinized in recent months amid heightened security concerns and growing staffing challenges.

Wacker’s first court appearance was scheduled for Friday morning at 8:30 a.m. As of Friday at 4:00 p.m., he was listed in the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office jail.