Perry OKs Stricter Punishment For Intoxication Assault
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) – For years, Abdallah Khader's family hasn't missed a moment. They've been there for the good days and the bad ones.
"It's heart breaking," says his mother Loubna Elharazin. "Every single day it breaks my heart."
But Monday afternoon came a little bit relief for the family: Gov. Rick Perry signed a law last week that now bears their five-year-old son's name.
Abdallah Khader was left severely brain damaged after police say Stewart Richardson, a repeat drunken driver, plowed into the family's car.
A little more than two years later, he is still in jail and the trial has yet to start.
"I wish we could have done this law in another way, and he's a healthy little boy," says Loubna.
Abdallah's father, Fahad Khader, held him Monday, trying to comfort his son. "Everybody thinks we are strong, we are parents – this is my son," he said.
The Abdallah Khader Law would increase the penalties for certain drunken driving offenses.
The maximum penalty will jump from 10 to 20 years in intoxication assault cases where the victim is left in a vegetative state.
In misdemeanor DWI cases when a driver's blood alcohol level is nearly twice the legal limit the maximum punishment is now one year in jail.
"It became very clear that there was a problem with the law," said Richard Alpert with the Tarrant County District Attorney's office.
He testified on behalf of the legislation, House Bill 1109.
"If you bring someone to the edge of death that you are going to face the same punishment as if you killed them," Alpert said.
The new law won't impact Abdallah's case, but his family finds comfort knowing it can help others.
"He did something. He didn't come in this life just to be like this. He did something for the people," said his mother.
She will now start working on getting other states to adopt similar laws and said it would be great if the law passed nationwide one day.
