I would love for channel 24 news and all the stations in Memphis follow up on this story. But they haven’t contacted me back yet. Channel 24 didn’t have the facts correct. He was NEVER arrested and the court date they stated was from a previous DUI charge from last year. The court date for this accident that paralyzed my sister was January 11, 2011 – but was rescheduled for March for whatever reason. Also he was NEVER arrested after he was released from the MED. He was driving on a suspended DUI license and on probation in Tennessee at the time of the accident. You would think he would be arrested after he was released from the hosptial. This is how bad this is….After the accident when they both arrived at the MED by helicopter, 2 of the nurses told us that this guy has been admitted here several times in the past several months for drug and alcohol incidents. Also they later came back and told us that after they ran his blood test they found traces of alcohol and pain killers in his blood. I realize that they weren’t suppose to tell us this information due to HIPAA laws but they did and we are glad!
He was never arrested and was cited with 2 tickets, one for driving on a suspended DUI license and for no car insurance.  See below the report. From what we’ve learned, the reason they didn’t arrest him after he got out of the MED was that if the hospital turned him over to the police, then the police would be responsible for paying his hospital bill. So you know they don’t want to pay that. How screwed up is that! It’s sad – criminals have more rights than the victims! Is that what we call justice?
My sister’s life has been changed forever and hundreds of thousands of dollars if not millions of dollars in medical expenses. Her rehab is going to be $3,500 a day – and she will need at least 6 months or more of rehab all because of this guy. I am sure this guy is still out driving around popping pills and drinking! I guess you have to kill someone to get arrested these days and then you’ll probably will only spend 5 years in jail! No wonder there is some much crime today, criminals can get off easier. The police told us they have to be careful about arresting him because they can get sued?!?! I never realized how screwed up our justice system is and I hope no one never ever has to go through what we are going through.
We’ve learned the driver has a long history of DUIs, drug and accident charges. He has 2 DUIs charges within the last 18 months that all happened within 3 months apart for each other in Tennessee. In one of his DUI charges, someone was injured in a vehicle accident, he hit 2 vehicles. From what I can tell from the report below, he has been arrested 7 times for drug, alcohol and vehicle related accidents. Also he was arrested with a loaded handgun while under the influence of drugs in a Wal-Mart dressing room.
It’s unbelievable that this guy is not in jail yet.  When I was 21, my driver’s licenses was suspended because I didn’t pay a traffic ticket. One day I was going back to work from lunch and I was caught speeding. Well guess what? I was arrested and thrown in jail for 2 days because I was driving on a suspended licenses. So why is this guy still out walking around. He needs to be off the streets before something happens to someone else. He needs to pay for what he has done to our family and my sister’s life.
There was a criminal background investigation done by a private investigator. Investigation-Report click to see it and tell me if you would be outraged by this. Just unbelievable!
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
This is an outrage, a slap in the face. I hope there is a way to see justice here. More media coverage is needed. Do you have a CAUSES page? It is absolutely amazing, this guy is not behind bars. This is UNBELIEVEABLE !!!
I hope you are forwarding this story to every rep. in your district, state and your federal Congressmen too, your state & federal Senator. I wouldn’t stop till I had every bloody branch of the government responding to me, and then watch things happen. As well, contact national media outlets and let them know how your local tv stations screwed the pooch on this story too–put them under a microscope to ensure future fact-checking for broadcast.
Good luck to your sister and your whole family. This story is appalling and my heart goes out to you all.
Seems to me that there is no place for emotion or personal feelings in the eyes of law, there should be strict action taken against the person who has committed this crime, the sad part is he is still out there roaming freely. It is absolutely your right to seek justice, and I hope all of us reading this are going to ensure that justice will be served to your sister.
“We run a blog which speaks about intoxicated drivers and creates awareness against them and we would like to post your story out there, only if you allow us toâ€
Grenada county in Mississippi and Hardeman county in Tennessee, where records searched for these?
No – I don’t believe they searched those records. Does he have a record there too?
We made a blog post in favor of your sister, hope she get justice through.
Kim Armstrong Paralyzed by a DUI Driver
Thank you Chris I am honored. I am stilll in the hospital as i post this comment i will be following the blog.
sincerely, kim
Hello Darren, First I want to thank you for leaving your story on my blog. It is really hard to deal with this situation especially when the person injured is close to you. There are thousands of cases each year where an innocent people were killed by a drunk driver who had already had 3 or 4 prior DUI’s on there record and still had a licenses. Until the laws change and stricter penalties are given to these idiots, they will continue to drink and drive. it is also up to all of use to step up and say something to someone who is intoxicated. Like in my blog where is use the scenario about being out at a bar and watching the man who is wasted and falling over and people laughing as he walks to his car. He then drives off and kills a person but what if that person killed was your son or daughter. We all have to take on the responsibility to either say something or call the police to handle it. If it is a friend or family member then I am pretty sure you would rather them be in jail then in the hospital. How would their life be if they killed a woman and child. I will light a candle for your sister and put her in my prayers. I hope for the best for you and your family. Thanks
Also I just finished reading the report you have posted and it is unbelievable that with this kind of record he was not locked up. The man who killed my cousin was on his 4th DUI and had shot and killed a man in an argument the year before. One of the witnesses who was also involved with the accident was threatened by the guy and his family that if she talked they would kill her. She still came forward and told them that he was driving and that he came to the hospital and threatened her life. He never spent one day in jail and is still out on the streets.
I just saw the report, and I AM OUTRAGED. This is ridiculous, I don’t care who this person is, he is apparently scum of the earth. So many tickets, arrests, DUIs, blah blah . . . I can’t believe he is a free person. I thought practically any THREE DUIs (regardless of State of residence) was almost an automatic prison sentence. Sadly, that isn’t true —
Kim, good luck in Houston! I’ve got my fingers crossed for you Darlin’!
{ 1 trackback }