Truly Heroic Act

[Eaglesfan27]

I admire Mr. Richardson's quick thinking that saved his daughter's life. Hopefully the driver gets life without the possibility of parole:

http://www.suntimes.com/news/24-7/93...-dad07.article


Dad died saving his little girl

FELONY DUI CHARGES | Father's last act protected 4-year-old from crash


May 7, 2008
Recommend (139)




BY MITCH DUDEK Staff Reporter/[email protected]
With an out-of-control car bearing down, Joseph Richardson grabbed his 4-year-old daughter and held her up out of harm's way.
It was his last act -- and one that apparently saved his daughter's life.
» Click to enlarge image
Joseph Richardson, 39, was walking with his daughter Kaniyah (right) when a car jumped the curb at 95th Street and Wentworth Avenue. Angelo Thomas (left), 32, has been charged in the fatality and injury.
(Courtesy)




Richardson, a 39-year-old father of three, was killed Monday evening by the car, driven by a man who police say was drunk.

The car pinned Richardson and his daughter Kaniyah against a wrought iron fence at 95th Street and Wentworth, police said.

Kaniyah survived and was listed in critical but stable condition Tuesday evening at Comer Children's Hospital, where a spokeswoman said she was doing well.

"He held the baby up to keep the car from destroying the baby, but it totally destroyed him," said Richardson's father, the Rev. L.V. Richardson.
Richardson was walking his daughter to a McDonald's for burgers at 6:40 p.m. Monday when a 1990 Chevy Cavalier jumped a curb and careened towards them, police said, citing witness accounts.

He grabbed his daughter just before the car slammed the two into the fence, police said.

Richardson was pronounced dead shortly after the crash -- a loss his twin, Timothy, said he felt before he was told.

"All day I just had a real bad gut feeling that something tragic was gonna happen," the hospital maintenance worker said. "And then when I was at home I could feel him and see, visualize what happened. . . . Right before they called me I could see him being in an accident. I knew he was gone.
"We had a very special connection and I just felt it."

The driver of the car, Angelo Thomas, 32, of the 200 block of West 95th Street, was charged with two felony counts of aggravated driving under the influence, police said. He was also cited with driving without a valid license or insurance.

Joseph Richardson, the father of two girls and a boy, all under the age of 11, was described as a devoted father. His other love was music. He was a gifted pianist and organist and performed in choirs at Cottage Grove
Baptist Church and Greater Revelation Missionary Baptist Church, where his father ministers. His idols were Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder, his family said.

He wanted to go back to school for a degree in music or theology and become a practicing minister, his brother said.

One of four tight-knit siblings who grew up in the Roseland neighborhood, Joseph Richardson was adept at keeping those close to him safe.

"We looked out for one another," said Timothy Richardson. But Joseph, the larger twin, did most of the looking out, Timothy admitted.

"We used to go to St. Willibrord Catholic High School, and a guy was picking on me a little bit one time and [Joseph] stepped in," said Timothy.

"I tried to talk him out of fighting, but him and the guy fought and went through a window together."

On Tuesday, Timothy wanted to remember the good times.

"I am five minutes older than Joseph. But he used to always tease me that even though I'm older, he figured he was better-looking. He always got me with that one."

[BrianD]

I'm curious why the driver didn't have a valid license. If it is because of previous alcohol related incidents, I definitely think the penalty should be more harsh.

[oliegirl]

So sad, he definitely died a hero.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by BrianD

I'm curious why the driver didn't have a valid license. If it is because of previous alcohol related incidents, I definitely think the penalty should be more harsh.

That was the assumption I made which is why my reflex is for a very harsh penalty.

[Mustang]

Originally Posted by BrianD

I definitely think the penalty should be more harsh.

Yes. Somewhere along the lines of having him stood against a wall and having a car driven into him.

[Maple Leafs]

And yet in the past when we've had threads about friends driving drunk, many people argued that it wasn't a big enough deal for them to say anything.

[BrianD]

Driving drunk is never OK, but I can sort of see where it could happen without the driver realizing the situation. I've always been quick to hand my keys to someone else, but I remember one time I thought I was OK and drove home. It was about 20 miles of highway driving late at night so there was no traffic. I had the radio off and was driving very carefully just in case I was closer to the limit than I thought. At the end of the drive I had a little bit of city driving (still being extra careful) and then I was home. There was nothing interesting about the drive until I turned into my driveway way too fast and had to break hard to avoid the garage.

At that point I realized that I wasn't really OK to drive and had anybody jumped out in front of me I wouldn't have been able to react properly. It scared the crap out of me and I now hand off my keys much earlier if I am drinking.

The point of all of this is that I can see it happening once even if it isn't OK that it does happen. I just don't get people who let it happen often enough to have their license taken away and then do it again. Is there just never a moment of reflection for these people when they realize that they were stupid and could have killed someone?

[Kodos]

Many people are too selfish to consider that they are endangering others.

[Karlifornia]

Some people are just better drivers when drunk...

[Karlifornia]

dola, the above post is a joke...

[Lathum]

so sad.

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by Lathum

so sad.

He said it was a joke.

[chesapeake]

Awful story. I hope the penalties for "aggrivated DUI" are similar to manslaughter, because that is what just happened, in my opinion.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

He said it was a joke.

I meant the situation.

We all know Karl is sad

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I meant the situation.

We all know Karl is sad

lol I know what you meant, I just wanted to poke at it.

[stevew]

Aggrivated DUI without a license should be a pretty severe penalty. It probably is not.

[stevew]

Looks like it's a 15 year imprisonment, max. Might be a bit longer if they tack on some driving without license penalties, and if it's his 3rd DUI

[sterlingice]

At some point, I wish we'd start throwing the book more at drunks in this country but it's such an ingrained part of a lot of people's lifestyle that there would be huge objections.

SI