Inset: Alexander Johnson (GoFundMe). Background: The scene of the crash in Michigan that left Alexander Johnson stuck between two vehicles as he was jump-starting a stranger’s car (WXYZ/YouTube).
A 16-year-old boy in Michigan may never walk again after being crushed between two cars while jump-starting a stranger’s vehicle that was hit by another driver, according to his family and the mother of the person he was helping. The crash was investigated by police for criminal wrongdoing and prosecutors are weighing charges.
“He was helping my daughter jump her car battery and another car hit them and he was stuck in between both cars,” writes Blowdell Haynes, mother of the person that Alexander Johnson was helping, in a Facebook post.
“Let us all pray that he is able to walk again!” Haynes says.
Alexander’s family told local ABC affiliate WXYZ that he currently has no feeling from his knee down on his right leg and has undergone multiple surgeries after breaking his leg in two places. “He’s saying, ‘I just wanted to stop and help. I’m never going to stop and help ever again,'” explained Alexander’s mother, Whitney Johnson. “But we always remind him you can’t stop doing good things for people just because this happened.”
Alexander was jump-starting the vehicle belonging to Haynes’ 16-year-old daughter after seeing her stranded near the intersection of Van Born Road and John Daly Street in Dearborn Heights. The teen was picking up eggs for his grandmother when the crash unfolded around 5:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
“I honestly don’t know how this could not be a case of distracted driving,” William Johnson, Alexander’s father, told WXYZ. “There were no skid marks on the road or anything like that. It doesn’t even look like he attempted to stop.”
The Dearborn Heights Police Department has reported that there is no suspicion that alcohol was a factor in the crash. The incident is being reviewed by the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office for possible charges. The driver who is believed to have caused the crash has not been identified.
“I hope he gets wind of this and that person truly feels bad and has remorse for what he’s done,” William Johnson said. “Maybe he’ll step up and tell the truth.”
Alexander’s recovery is expected to take months and possibly even years, according to the Johnson family. The prosecutor’s office did not respond to Law&Crime’s requests for comment.
