When Jermaine Jones ran across a dark and wet South Colorado Boulevard on July 29, his dad wasn’t holding his hand.
Jones, 21, wasn’t supposed to walk across the street by himself because he had cerebral palsy and the mental capacity of a 4-year-old.
A Mitsubishi Endeavor traveling north through a green light struck him at East Mexico Avenue, and the injuries left him in a comalike state until his death last November.
Now his father, Teddy Hollie, is charged with negligent death of an at-risk adult because Denver prosecutors say Hollie was drunk the night of the accident and wasn’t properly watching his son.
Hollie is being held at the Denver Detention Center on $1 million bail. He faces up to six years in prison if convicted of the felony.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled July 6 in Denver District Court.
During a jailhouse interview, Hollie denied he was drinking or that he hurt his son.
“I was not negligent in my child’s death,” Hollie said through tears. “I want to be in peace, and I want my son to be in peace. I hope the system understands they are messing with my life and I hurt.”
Hollie said that no breath test was given to him and that police didn’t take a blood test for alcohol.
A police report indicates the sergeant at the scene of the accident detected the smell of alcohol on Hollie’s breath and that his speech was slurred and his pupils dilated.
Hollie said he may not have seen the light change, but he didn’t intend to hurt his child.
He said he often used outings with his son as an opportunity to get Jones to exercise his legs by running.
Hollie had just taken Jones from his ex-wife’s home after a visit with Jones and his other children. As he was leaving, Hollie said, Jones began “stomping and pulling” and asking to go with his dad.
The driver of the Endeavor was not charged because police say her light was green when Jones darted into traffic.
Donna Sue Blevins, a witness who was with Hollie, told police that she was drinking with Hollie and the son just stepped out into the street.
“I don’t know the kid’s name, and his father is a good man,” Blevins told police. “But he didn’t have control of him.”
Another witness, Chris Barton, said a pedestrian looked as if he was “playing chicken in traffic.”
Hollie believes his bail is high and the charges severe because of his background, including convictions for theft and burglary.
“When you’re poor and you got a criminal record, the system tries to get you,” he said.
His daughter, Bacardi Hollie, says her father wasn’t drunk when he left the house with her brother, but she doesn’t know what happened before the accident.
“Everybody is blaming Dad. I am a little upset that he is being charged with it,” she said.
Teddy Hollie says the accident tore his family apart, and some family members tried to fight him at Jones’ funeral.
“All I want is for this to be over and grieve for my child,” he said.
Felisa Cardona: 303-954-1219 or fcardona@denverpost.com
