Man Struck By Allegedly Drunk Boston Police Officer Recovering From Serious Injuries
BOSTON (CBS) - A Boston man seriously injured in a crash with an allegedly drunk Boston Police officer is speaking out for the first time about his recovery in an exclusive interview with WBZ-TV.
Jose Teixeira just started walking again within the last week and it's still a struggle just getting out of bed. "That's it I don't go anywhere, I don't even go outside," said the 21-year-old from Dorchester.
A crash in the early morning hours of New Year's Day changed his life. A pickup truck driven by off duty officer Domemic Columbo slammed into his car at the intersection of Columbia Road and Ceylon Street in Dorchester, less than a mile from his home where his friend was giving him a ride. He was a passenger in the car, asleep at the time, and never saw it coming.
He can't remember the crash but he has seen the video. "The video looks unreal, looks like the movies to me, the car was hitting hard," he said.
No one knew if Jose would make it. He was two weeks in a coma and two months in the hospital. He's still recovering from massive internal injuries and just two weeks ago doctors rebuilt his skull.
Columbo has now been indicted on drunk driving and assault and battery charges and will be in Suffolk Superior court on Friday. Jose Teixeira says he just hopes the officer learned a lesson. "He should know better, he knows the laws better. If he was drunk he could have taken an Uber or a Lyft home," Teixeira said.
His attorney Marc Shulze says he is glad Columbo is being held to a high standard. "With the magnitude of the injuries I'm sure that had a lot to do with the position the district attorney has taken on the case," said Shulze.
Teixeira's friend Jay Santos, who was behind the wheel of the car, was also injured in the accident.
These days Teixeira faces mounting medical bills, a daily regimen of medications and weekly therapy with more surgeries to come. "I feel so lucky like a second life," he said. He is still hoping to return to work and to school where he wants to study to be a nurse.
