Arlington family struggles to cope after boy critically injured in drunken driving crash 07:16 PM CST on Tuesday, February 24, 2009
A 2-year-old boy who was critically injured in a drunken driving crash last week remained on life support on Tuesday as his parents coped with his devastating prognosis. Eighty percent of Abdallah Khader’s brain was destroyed in the crash, according to his doctor, Jeff McGlothlin. If Abdallah survives, he will be severely disabled for the rest of his life. Majed Nachawati, his parents’ attorney, said their Muslim faith prevents them from taking him off life support. “What’s keeping me alive right now is just knowing that he’s breathing upstairs,” Loubna Elharazin, the boy’s mother, said Tuesday during a press conference at Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth. “I’m happy just to touch him. I’m happy to take him home like that. He’s my only son. I want my son back.” The family, originally from Palestine, moved to Arlington from Chicago less than a month ago. They were on their way home from a family gathering on Friday night when Stewart Richardson, 44, of Davenport, Iowa, slammed his pickup into the family’s Honda Accord as they waited at a red light in the 4900 block of South Cooper Street at Oak Village Boulevard in Arlington. Arlington police officers arrested Richardson, a man they say has a history of DWI arrests. On Tuesday, Richardson was being held at the Tarrant County jail in lieu of $75,000 bail on a charge of intoxication assault. Charges could be upgraded if Abdallah’s condition changes. As of Tuesday afternoon, Richardson did not have an attorney, a court clerk said. Family members said Richardson had used an interlock device designed to prevent repeat DWI offenders from driving drunk at least twice before, but he didn't have one on Friday. Abdallah’s parents on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against Richardson in Tarrant County district court alleging negligence and gross negligence, but Nachawati said Richardson has little, if any, assets. “How many times does someone have to be caught driving under the influence of alcohol until he’s not allowed to drive in this country,” a tearful Elharazin asked on Tuesday. “He decided to drink and get in his car and drive and kill someone and he walked out [saying] ‘I’m sorry.’ I want this man to be in jail for the rest of his life.” A fund in Abdallah’s name has been established with Bank of America to help pay the family’s medical expenses. WFAA-TV (Channel 8) contributed to this report. The loss of a family member is devastating and you need an experienced Wrongful Death and Auto Accident attorney at your side. The Wrongful Death Law Firm of Fears & Nachawati will use a team of experienced Auto Accident Attorneys and the resources of our firm to get your family what it deserves. Contact us immediately at 214-890-0711.
