NEWS 8 EXCLUSIVE
FORT WORTH — A suspect ran away from the scene of a bloody traffic accident almost three weeks ago. Now, the victim's father wants to know why no one is in jail.
William Karrington's phone rang in the middle of the night on Saturday, August 24.
"Immediately you know something's wrong," he said. "It turns out to be the chaplain from the hospital."
Karrington was told to come quickly.
"It looked like he was in a war, and he was the losing end of a war," Karrington said.
Brent Karrington had been driving on Interstate 30 from Fort Worth to Dallas when — according to a police report — a speeding Lincoln Navigator slammed into the back of his sport utility vehicle.
"His head was out of one side of the car and his feet were out of the other," the elder Karrington said.
Officers found the wrecked Navigator was deserted.
Its license plate traced back to Franky Manuel Celis of Grand Prairie; police even located the owner's insurance information.
"I expected that on the first day, which was Saturday, that someone was going to come to us and say they already found the hit-and-run driver," William Karrington said.
That, however, did not happen.
Karrington called Fort Worth police and said he was told officers had left a card at Celis' home.
The victim's father said he was shocked that officers hadn't done more to contact the owner and determine his condition.
"The airbag blew up in his face, and the windshield was still in his hair, and all of the things you expect to see from someone who crashes into somebody at 100 mph," Karrington said.
Police told him the next step is sending a letter to the Navigator's owner.
"Can't you just send an officer out to someone's house ... and say, 'Round him up?' They want to send him a letter?" an incredulous Karrington asked.
Celis has not been arrested nor has he been charged in connection with the accident.
A Fort Worth police spokesman said it would be inappropriate to comment on the ongoing criminal investigation, because it could interfere with the case and the pursuit of justice.
News 8 checked public records and found Celis is on probation after being charged last October with evading arrest.
In that case, witnesses accused Celis of driving recklessly, nearly hitting them, they say, before bailing out at his home and running from Grand Prairie officers.
The Dallas County probation office, told News 8 that as of Wednesday, Fort Worth detectives have not yet contacted them about the Karrington case.
Meanwhile, Brent Karrington's recovery is slow.
"I don't know how bad the wreck has to be," he said via telephone from his hospital bed. "You saw the pictures; what does it take?"
E-mail chawes@wfaa.com
