LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A Las Vegas mother is advocating for her son who remains in a coma after a serious car crash caused by an alleged drunk driver.
“I just wish I could trade places with him,” said Jamie Brooks, mother to Thomas ‘Eddie’ Stanton.
On Sept. 9, Stanton was involved in a crash that turned the car he was in into a mangled mess of metal.
Stanton and his friend were struck by an alleged drunk driver who ran a red light at the intersection of Desert Inn Road and Boulder Highway. According to police, five people were hurt and Stanton was left on life support.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police arrested 36-year-old Carlos Alvarez in the collision. He’s been charged with multiple felonies, including DUI resulting in bodily harm, but was released shortly after the crash due to a lack of a formal criminal complaint.
The criminal complaint has been filed. It has been filed for weeks and he still hasn’t been picked up.
Stanton’s grandmother said her frustration stems from the fact that while her grandson is fighting for his life, she feels the person responsible is living his life like nothing ever happened.
How do you live with yourself? That was your choice that night to drive at a high rate of speed, drunk. That happens so many times in this town. Something needs to change. The laws have to change.
Stanton's road to recovery is a long one.
“The severe brain injury is the worst. They've had to remove his spleen, part of his colon. He has two fractured shoulders. A fractured clavicle. A lacerated kidney. A punctured lung, a fractured back, a fractured pelvis,” Stanton’s grandmother said.
Brooks is battling insurance companies to secure coverage for her son's medical needs. Despite having insurance through his employer Walmart, Brooks claims the insurer has denied many claims, leaving her with her hands tied as she fights to provide for her son.
This could be the difference between saving his life and him coming out of this or not making it.
“I have to be his strength. I have to try and set aside my emotions right now and fight for him because he can’t fight for himself.”
With mounting medical bills, Brooks has launched a GoFundMe to help with costs.
Carlos Alvarez isn’t expected to be in court until January for a status check.
