CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte man is fighting for justice after surviving a hit-and-run.
According to a police report, the person accused of hitting him is a teenager who was driving a stolen car. The crash happened on April 6, 2024, but no charges have been formally filed in the case.
Darius Ford is pleading for answers as his medical bills stack up. He was on a walk in his neighborhood when the car struck him.
"They were just telling me not to move and they were basically talking to me to make sure I was, you know, staying awake," Ford recalled.
The police report alleges a 15-year-old who was driving someone else’s car without permission crashed into a mailbox and a parked car, which slammed into Ford.
Ford sustained serious injuries and he spent weeks in the hospital. He now has a metal plate, rod, and screws in his right leg.
The injuries have prevented Ford from going on his routine walks and working out, which are essential to keep his cerebral palsy at bay.
Now being stuck in a wheelchair, Ford said his cerebral palsy is worsening.
"A lot of the stuff that I went through that I beat is back," Ford said while holding back tears. "It’s just not fair. "
Ford said the justice system is failing him. "Give me some kind of justice. Give me some kind of help," he pleaded.
The police report says the teen accused of driving is being charged with several offenses, including felony hit and run with injury. However, the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office hasn’t formally filed them.
The DA's Office emailed Ford at the end of May and said it was looking into the case. However, “[It] doesn’t look good for prosecution beyond a reasonable doubt.”
"Even if someone has committed a crime or they think that they have, sometimes things don't get prosecuted," explained attorney Gary Mauney.
WCNC Charlotte reached out to Mauney to share his legal expertise on what could be causing the lack of charges. He said the suspect’s age is likely complicating the case and the DA’s decision to prosecute often comes down to resources and time.
"[The suspect] would have to start off in the juvenile system, which creates more time and additional hurdles that the prosecutor's office would have to jump through in order to prosecute this person," Mauney added.
As Ford fights to be able to walk again, he’s working toward the most important walk of his life:
"I'm about to get married," Ford shared. He’s praying he’ll be able to walk down the aisle at his wedding this fall.
A spokesperson for the DA’s Office wrote to WCNC Charlotte that since the case is pending, they’re ethically prohibited from commenting on it.