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Christmas crash driver sent to prison, ordered to pay restitution to victims
DAYTON — The man convicted of causing a Christmas Day traffic accident that injured five children, including one girl who lost part of her leg, was sentenced to four years in prison Tuesday, May 26.
Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Michael T. Hall also ordered Olajuwon Howard to pay $36,633 in restitution to four of the children.
Howard, 23, pleaded guilty May 12, to four counts of vehicular assault and one count of failure to stop after an accident. During his sentencing hearing, he broke down in tears as told Hall that it was an accident.
“I would never intentionally hit no car with no kids,” Howard said. “I got two kids. I don’t go around ramming people’s cars. I didn’t even know there was no kids in the car.”
Hall told Howard that he understood that it was an accident, but said Howard had been driving without a license and was trying to avoid the police at the time of the crash.
“People wind up having to be responsible for what they do,” Hall said.
Police arrested Howard at the scene of the accident, which happened about 4:30 p.m. Dec. 25 at Mia and Kammer avenues. The accident occurred as six people in a Pontiac Grand Am were driving along Kammer Avenue on their way to a Christmas celebration.
Howard, driving an Oldsmobile Intrigue, ran a stop sign at Mia and struck the Grand Am, which then veered into a house, doing structural damage and rupturing a gas line. Two of the children were trapped under the car.
Two of the children suffered brain injuries. Another girl, who was 7, was trapped under the car and had part of her leg amputated.
The children have been plagued by nightmares since the event, Sharon Taste told the court. Taste is the aunt of all five children.
“Imagine a 7-year-old child viewing life as unfair, at a time when her life has just begun,” Taste said. “Imagine a 9-year-old child questioning whether life is worth living.”
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Comments
By michael
May 26, 2009 12:26 PM | Link to this
How is the man suppose to pay all this $ if he is going to prison? And after he is realeased, he will not be able to pass a backfound check to get a good job to pay these people back!By Say What?
May 26, 2009 12:32 PM | Link to this
Michael, You are right, so they should just let him go.By Bill Cosby
May 26, 2009 12:43 PM | Link to this
Speak English, Michael. “suppose” is spelled “supposed”, “backfound” is spelled “background”. Ebonics is a mysterious dialect. It is mysterious to job providers also. Also…does anyone out there have any idea what this idiot (“Olajuwan”….a good “Irish” name), was trying to explain in his defense? In “the day”, they called it “jive”. What’s it called now, so we “oppressors” will know what to expect to hear.By dj
May 26, 2009 12:46 PM | Link to this
What about the father of the car who had 4 children who were not properly restrained in the car? what about his punishment? who knows, but it’s possible that the children would not have been hurt at all had they been restrained properly. chilren would not have been hurt atBy what
May 26, 2009 12:47 PM | Link to this
I’m not seeing this as fair, I understand the restitution but not the jail time. As I read I was expecting to see alcohol involved or maybe running from the police, but just running a stop sign? I don’t see the jail time as doing any good, especially if it was an accident. Who hasn’t ran a red light? What if a car was placed there the time you did? Do you deserve 4 years! I think not…money as restitution is appropriate, not years. What is he getting out of sitting there?By what
May 26, 2009 12:50 PM | Link to this
NEVERMIND! I read it again and he failed to stop after hitting them, was running from the cops, and did not have a license…4 years is pretty fair. Man I’m glad I read that again!By dj
May 26, 2009 12:51 PM | Link to this
try again….What about the driver of the car who had 4 children who were not properly restrained in the car? what about his punishment? who knows, but it’s possible that the children would not have been hurt at all had they been restrained properly.By Skywalker
May 26, 2009 1:06 PM | Link to this
He was attempting to avoid police, thus having the accident (according to the story) The time is too much IMO and the paltry sum of $36K to pay is certainly not close to being enough. And DJ is correct, how did two of the kids wind up “under” the vehicle and why wasn’t the driver charged for that??By Evan
May 26, 2009 1:11 PM | Link to this
Ebonics! NiceBy T man
May 26, 2009 1:23 PM | Link to this
“I didn’t even know there was no kids in the car”? WTF??? Translation from ebonics would be- opposite slang jive? Also, would this loser have “not” hit the car had he known there were no kids (really no kids as in zero, not Ebonics for 7) in the car? What an idiot!By Kix
May 26, 2009 1:29 PM | Link to this
Let’s not deflect the blame of the accident by asking why the other kids were not properly constrained. A man w/o a license was running from the police. His actions are solely responsible for the deaths of these children. Did the other driver make a mistake? Yes. But he’s not at fault. Keep the blame where it should be. The guy killed 4 kids and should be locked away for life. His actions took lives.By dj
May 26, 2009 1:37 PM | Link to this
umm, Kix, he didn’t kill anyone….By Michelle
May 26, 2009 2:46 PM | Link to this
Ok Kix…let’s try using the word “restrained” instead of “constrained” and if you re-read the article it does not state that any kids were killed! Guess you were in a hurry to try to make a point!By p griffin
May 26, 2009 4:03 PM | Link to this
would it make a difference if he did kill the kids or not? he was evading the law and hurt someone trying to escape! he is lucky he only got 4 years.By md
May 26, 2009 4:33 PM | Link to this
The driver of the vehicle at fault has received his day in court. But let this be a lesson to all parents, that children DO need to be properly restrained. There are far too many injuries that occur for lack of seatbelts or other restraint devices depending upon the age and weight of the child, and there is simply no excuse.By j
May 26, 2009 5:15 PM | Link to this
When I first heard about this accident on the news when it happened, I was appalled at the fact that the driver had 5 children crammed into his car and NONE were restrained. While I agree that the gentleman who hit them was truly at fault for his actions, the driver should have been cited at the time of the accident for not properly restraining the kids. I’m not a doctor but I can guess that the 7-year old would not have been thrown from the car had she been at least in a seatbelt. Therefore she most likely would still have her leg today.By Caren
May 26, 2009 5:21 PM | Link to this
I get angry everytime I see this story and nothing about the children not being in seatbelt or carseat. He is not the only one at fault here for the children’s injuries.By cw
May 26, 2009 5:22 PM | Link to this
these kids are going to be scared for life .i think 4 yrs isn’t enough time for him . there is a little girl with only 1 leg who life has just started .it isn’t fair to her did anyone think about that .By jeml
May 26, 2009 6:05 PM | Link to this
Howard’s punishment is just. The Father should have been charged as well. I’m sure the police were afraid to charge. More “chaos” in West Dayton is not needed. I hope the children receive counseling or at least a positive mentor in their life. Their life is not over, it’s been altered. Sometimes life isn’t fair…By Jackie
May 26, 2009 6:36 PM | Link to this
You can look his record up on the system. He is a repeat offender for robbery, drug trafficing, and other driver felonies. This just proves to the 7 year old that there is no justice when it comes to saving the court system money; plea bargains are like shopping at Walmart. She is only 7 and she has endured more than most of us ever will. Dayton’s political officials simply mirror its criminals. By the way, Mr. Howard just admitted he was evading police, remember they said it was not a chase? Looks like there was a third culprit ladies and gents! Police are not supposed to pursue anyone in residential neighborhoods!By Vonne
May 26, 2009 7:04 PM | Link to this
I lived around the corner from where this happened i thought a house was on fire but when i was told that there were children involved my heart went out to those children but what really got me when they pulled the little girl from under the car and she was screaming and i saw her leg just hanging o.m.g i heard a woman say we ought to jump that guy and bet the living hell out of him.I this guy needs to be pushed for what he did but these children are scared for life either way it goes,God will bless those children i have faith that he will.By John
May 27, 2009 1:18 AM | Link to this
The good news is: One more unemployed, uneducated, drop-out criminal is off the streets - so we are all a little safer for a few years. Now, will he use this time in prison to finally learn to speak proper English and get a GED? I’ll give you odds of 250:1 he doesn’t. Loser in, loser out.By shellymoe
May 27, 2009 1:38 AM | Link to this
There wasn’t a chase. He was trying to avoid police, not run from them. People need to use seatbelts & carseats. Mr. Howard seemed genuinely sorry for his actions & I think 4 years is fair. Time for all involved to move forward & make the best with the hand they’ve been dealt.By Sandy
May 27, 2009 9:55 AM | Link to this
Sentenced for 4 years may not long enough. If he had not caused the accident they may not have been hurt. The children were not buckled in their seats or car seats. I know the victims’ family is upset and feels justice was not served. I agree I feel they should accept some responsibility too. The injuries may have not been as severe if they had been properly secured in their seats. He definitely was the cause of the accident but I feel the adult(s) responsible for the children should have been fined or cited too. The ONLY true victims in this are the children. NONE of the adults involved in the accident thought about their safety or welfare.By shellymoe
May 27, 2009 12:28 PM | Link to this
I agree with Sandy. Just because YOU may be a good driver, doesn’t mean you won’t get hit. A lesson I hope the toddler-nursing mother never has to learn!By Liz
May 27, 2009 8:39 PM | Link to this
The punishment should fit the crime…and this was NOT a crime, it was an ACCIDENT. Howard’s criminal record, though appalling, does NOT have anything to do with what happened (neither does the fact that he’s black, and according to some on this post, an ‘idiot loser’. He is remorseful for his actions and I would like to see him do community service for safe driving programs to help people rather than sit in prison for four years while his OWN kids suffer. Also, I am shocked by the blatant racism shown in these other comments…it’s disgusting.By happyone
May 27, 2009 9:40 PM | Link to this
First of all yes I think 4 years is fair and second the father of the children should have had his kids properly restrained in a seatbelt. It really makes me sick when people are to darn stupid to put their kids in seatbelts or car seats properly restrained. I have 4 children and you better know that they are always buckled up as well as myself.By happyone
May 27, 2009 9:46 PM | Link to this
I’am happy they gave him 4 years because they need to make this maniac an example for the other crazed maniac drivers of dayton. I used to live in dayton 3 years ago and I was hit by some crazy fool that almost killed me and he kept going. I have almost been in near fatal times when these crazy fools driving on the west side ie germantown,gettysburg,thirdstreet,james h mcghee etc have almost hit me going through red lights or stop signs. They are irresponsible and know that they could possibly kill someone or their self but they don’t care and continue to drive like maniacs. SO YES MAKE HIM BE AN EXAMPLE FOR THESE OTHER CRAZY FOOLS DRIVING LIKE A DARN FOOL!!By Mrs. K
May 28, 2009 8:09 PM | Link to this
The sad part of all of this is that this boy was not trying to hurt these children-the sadder part is no one ever thinks about the innocent people they could hurt or the worse that can happen when they are out doing wrong. He will suffer for the rest of his life, he will never forget and the children won’t either. My prayers to the family GOD will see you through.By cece
June 1, 2009 12:46 PM | Link to this
This accident is very hurtful and really just shouldn’t have happened. Eventhough this guy is totally wrong and should be spending time behind bars it would only be fair if the driver of the car should also suffer consequences. Restraints for children are made for a reason, to protect tthem from accident. I truely believe that if these children were properly seatbelted that their injuries would have been minor. I pray for Howard and hope that when hes released he can move on with his life!By mystery chick
June 12, 2009 11:47 AM | Link to this
Look to everyone out there I have known Lige for a number of years.I also know the victims family as well. This is an unfortunate and tragic accident. I know that he would not intentionally hurt anyone, but still this did happen and these childrens lives are changed forever. I believe that he should be held accountable for what happened but his intentions were not to harm anyone just getting away from the police before he probably sat in the County Jail waiting on sentencing for numerous driving with out license intent that