DETROIT (WXYZ) — This past Saturday, a suspected drunk driver smashed into two vehicles at the corner of 7 Mile and Mound, killing 7-year-old Jerome Coleman Jr.
EXTENDED INTERVIEW: Family of 7-year-old killed in suspected drunk driving crash speaks out
Police say the driver, who does not live in Detroit, initially fled but was arrested when he returned to the scene two hours later with his blood alcohol level hitting double digits on a breathalyzer.
On Tuesday, 30-year-old Ahmad Jastta, from Roseville, was charged in connection to the crash. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy charged him with one count of Operating While Intoxicated Causing Death and three counts of Operating While Intoxicated Causing Serious Injury.
But Junior's aunt, Jawyna Griffin, says no matter what happens now, her nephew is never coming back.
"My whole family, we are traumatized, nothing prepared me for the images that I have in my head. I can't close my eyes," said Jawyna.
This security footage shows the crash. You can see the white car speeding westbound on 7 Mile, jumping the red light, and hitting the two vehicles.
We stopped the footage just before the impact, But Jawyna says her twin sister, Tawyna's vehicle flipped on its side.
"I saw my niece laying on the ground unconscious, my other nephew, he was in shock, and my baby was just lying there, my nephew lifeless," said Jawyna.
There were three other kids in the vehicle. Jawyna tells me her 5-year-old niece, Kiaree, has a brain injury resulting from a skull fracture. Her 21-year-old nephew De-mari and 23-year-old niece LaCresha, as a result of the crash, are both suffering from neck and spinal injuries.
"LaCresha was released from the hospital. De-mari was just moved from intensive care to a regular room. And Kiaree, they had to intubate her, they took all her tubes out of her this morning. So, hopefully, fingers crossed and praying she will be able to move out of intensive care today," said Jawyna.
"To say they are going to be traumatized is an understatement," asked Faraz Javed, 7 News Detroit reporter.
"Yes, we got to figure out now how life is going to go without him because a drunk driver decided to get behind the wheel," said Jawyna.
"Life will never be the same for you guys," asked Faraz.
"It will never, ever be the same. This is his best friend. He told me yesterday he wanted a bible so he could communicate with his cousin," said Jawyna.
"The fact that the driver came back and surrendered himself, does that give some sense of peace?" asked Faraz.
"Not really, no! What he did was unforgivable. Tell him that you took a 7-year-old boy's child's life that had a lot of life to live. He liked to climb trees, he fished a lot. He liked to take things apart and put them together. The last time I saw him, he said Aunty, look what I did?! He took a whole fan apart and was putting it back together, at 7," said Jawyna.
A candlelight vigil is scheduled this Saturday at 7 Mile and Mound, where Junior lost his life. The family has also set up a GoFundMe https://www.gofundme.com/f/jerome-coleman-jr
