HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) - A mother of three who was struck by hit and run driver on Mother’s Day weekend remains hospitalized more than a week after the incident. Her friends said doctors at the hospital told them this is one of the worst cases they’ve seen.
Michelle James is in critical condition after a car rammed into her and her two children. “She’s a hard worker, a single mother and a good person,” said her friend, Jennifer Kocetkov. “She’s an awesome mom. She always put her kids first.”
The victim, who has a crushed pelvis, was also five months pregnant when she was struck. She later needed an emergency cesarean section to deliver the baby. “All we know is that she was at the bus stop waiting for the bus with her children. The woman jumped the curb, and we were told that Michelle threw herself in front of her children,” Kocetkov said.
According to police, Crane then hit James and her unborn child, as well as her 5-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son, before she took off.
James’ co-workers said, when the car hit her, her baby, who was just 20 weeks old, went into distress, so doctors at Memorial Regional Hospital has to perform the emergency cesarean. “After this accident, we don’t know what her recovery is gonna be like,” said Lori Brennan, James’ co-worker. “Her legs were injured; from what I know, her pelvis was injured.”
James and her three children are recovering at Memorial Regional Hospital, but do not have insurance. “She’s a single mother, and obviously she’s gonna have a lot to deal with when she gets out,” Kocetkov said. “She just fell on some bad times.”
In cellphone video, a man described what he saw. “We saw that lady in the floor like this,” the witness said, bending backward. “We almost crashed trying to get her.”
Police said 39-year-old Jessica Crane was the driver. “I knew it had to be something. She was drunk, or on drugs or something,” said witness Shaquana Brinson, “and she started doing like 90 miles per hour. She was going in and out of traffic.”
Witnesses, however, followed Crane and stopped her in her tracks. “I just chased her as far as I could,” said a 911 caller. “A bunch of cars blocked her in. We just blocked her in because she was just going.”
That 911 caller told officials that other witnesses were holding Crane down.
When Crane was arrested, she told police that it was the family who hit her. She then said, “These [expletive] Cubans are trying to get free money from me and a free ride to the hospital.”
The victim’s friend said James isn’t looking for handouts. “The fact that she took three buses to get to her place of employment shows she was never looking for a free ride from anyone,” Kocetkov said.
Her co-workers set up a GoFundMe page to help. “Michelle needs the help, and the kids need the help,” Brennan said. “Even if you can’t help a lot, you know, even $5, $10, there’s really nothing too small.”
The victim, along with her baby, have a long road to recovery. James remains in critical condition. Her two older children are expected to be OK, and her baby is in intensive care.
Crane is out on a $40,000 bond and could face other charges. Miramar Police, however, are waiting for the toxicology report.
If you’d like to help go to her GoFundMe page: www.gofundme.com/23qurek.
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