Man Faces Reckless Homicide Charges After Crash That Killed a Lutheran Pastor
Two weeks ago, a 22-year-old male was arrested and charged with second-degree reckless murder for allegedly running a red light and killing a Lutheran pastor on his way to work.
Pastor Aaron Strong, 40, of Milwaukee’s Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church was hit by a speeding motorist at roughly 74 miles per hour on Wednesday morning. The culprit was eventually identified as Jose Silva.
Silva reportedly informed officers he was late for his jury duty at the Milwaukee County Courthouse.
After the collision, emergency crews rushed Strong to a nearby hospital, but he later died from his injuries.
Marquette University has CCTV footage showing that Silva ran a red light going the opposite direction. According to the criminal complaint, he didn’t start using the brakes until the very last second.
On their Facebook page, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church announced Strong’s death and asked for prayers for his wife Abbie and their two children.
“Just like Job, you may be asking, ‘Why?
Concerning this catastrophe, our hearts go out to you. It’s good to be reminded, along with Job, that our mighty God doesn’t always have an explanation for everything. The church remarked, “But what gives us eternal consolation is that God’s charity shines as brightly as his grandeur.”
Strong was “a guy who was full of joy,” according to Grace’s outreach pastor, the Rev. Brian Hackmann.
According to Hackman of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “he was full of life.” He was laughing and smiling and it was contagious. He was the kind of guy who was easy to get along with. He had a tremendous affection for Jesus in his heart.
In addition to being the son of a pastor, Strong was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. He joined the Grace team in 2015. He graduated from the Minnesota-based Martin Luther College and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. Before coming to Grace, Strong planted a church in Las Vegas and served there for seven years as its pastor.
Last Sunday, Strong preached what would be his final sermon in a message titled “The Gift That Keeps on Giving.”
“We are less than 80 days away from Christmas,” he said as he preached from 2 Corinthians 9:10-15. “Thirty percent of Americans will start their Christmas shopping during this month.”
“Whenever you start, maybe you’ll want to start thinking about a gift that maybe is long-lasting, something that is a gift that keeps on giving.”
“The Apostle Paul gives us a far greater gift in our reading today from 2nd Corinthians Chapter 9. A gift that truly is one that keeps on giving,” the late pastor added.
Last week, Grace Lutheran Church launched a GoFundMe campaign for Strong’s family. So far, it has raised over $85,000 out of its $100,000 goal.
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