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drove a maroon SUV into a crowd of people

. Darrell Brooks, 40, has been accused of being the driver and faces 

. He will represent himself at his trial, with jury selection

six counts of first-degree intentional homicide and

. He also faces two charges of felony bail jumping and

degree recklessly endangering safety with a dangerous weapon. 

If convicted of a single first-degree intentional homicide — a Class A felony — he could face life in prison, according to 

Waukesha County Circuit Judge Jennifer Dorow granted Brooks' request to waive his right to an attorney last Wednesday, NPR member station 

Before being taken off the case, Brooks' now former attorney, Jeremy Perri, said he had explained the charges over 25 meetings. However, Brooks said he does not understand the charges, but is aware of them.

Additionally, public defenders won't be allowed to represent Brooks on standby, should he change his mind during the trial, court documents said. 

 by mental disease or defect in June, but 

said last year that the police had missed an opportunity

 to stop Brooks shortly before he crashed his SUV into paradegoers.

"The suspect prior to the incident was involved in a domestic disturbance, which was minutes prior," Thompson told reporters last November. "And the suspect left that scene just prior to our arrival at that domestic disturbance."

Brooks is accused of confronting a woman outside of a motel before the parade, driving off after he knocked her phone out of her hand. Law enforcement said Brooks returned to the scene, punched her in the face and then ran her over with his vehicle. 

Brooks has been charged with two counts of domestic abuse, a Class A misdemeanor, which comes with 

a maximum fine of $10,000 and no more than nine months in prison

According to court documents, the trial is set to run until Oct. 28. 

Crime, Law and Justice

Dustin Jones

Author

Darrell Brooks faces 77 charges after allegedly plowing a maroon SUV into a crowd attending the event in Waukesha, Wis., last November. 

The man accused of driving into the Waukesha Christmas parade is about to go on trial

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