New Orleans man severely injured in hit-and-run near City Park
A New Orleans mother is now hoping for justice. She says her son was the victim of a hit-and-run while he was riding his motorcycle on the edge of City Park.
Police say the incident happened on June 2 at the intersection of Wisner Boulevard and Friedrichs Avenue.
Jaquain Paul, 27, is in the trauma intensive care unit at University Medical Center. His injuries are extensive.
"All I know is from what witnesses have said that a vehicle, a truck, was speeding, hit him from behind, ran over him, and kept going," Jaquain's mom Javonne said.
Javonne was waiting to meet up with her son at the time. When he never arrived, she pinged his phone. An alarming notification — it alerted her that Jaquain was at the hospital.
She rushed to UMC and that's when she learned what happened and how badly her son had been hurt.
"He suffered at the scene severe trauma to his abdomen area where, unfortunately, his intestines were exposed. He suffered from a brain bleed and a stroke. He has a broken left arm with metal plates now in it. He had five blood transfusions; his right lung has collapsed as of last night. He now has a chest tube, he's intubated currently as we speak," she said.
Jaquain has already had five surgeries in less than a week and could have even more.
It's a long road to recovery but his mom says he's a fighter.
Her message now is one of accountability. She's hoping the driver responsible is found.
"You could have just stopped and just to see if he was OK. You didn't do any of that. You just ran him down and kept going," Javonne said.
Still, she is adamant that her son, she says, will walk out of the hospital a miracle.
Javonne has now set up a fundraiser to raise money for medical costs.
The NOPD says no suspects have been identified nor any arrests made. If you know something that could help, call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.