Mother of man paralyzed in crash says driver 'not a man'

Robert Games, 43, paralyzed from waist down in Christmas Eve hit-and-run crash

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – The mother of a man paralyzed from the waist down in a Christmas Eve hit-and-run crash told Local 10 News that she will never forgive the suspected driver.

Thomas Pathammavong, 22, was charged in the crash on Friday while he was sitting in a cell at the Broward County Jail on unrelated charges.

Meanwhile, Robert Games, 43, remains in the hospital.

"He's not a man. He's not a man. I don't even know if you could say he's a human being," Joanie Games said. "It's just an emotional thing, you know, thinking about what he was like when we saw him at dinner and then what happened."

Broward Sheriff's Office detectives said Games was stopped on his motorcycle at a red light on North Federal Highway in Pompano Beach when a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck struck him from behind and kept driving.

Authorities said Pathammavong was behind the wheel.

"The vehicle had been reported stolen on Jan. 5, but they claimed that the theft of the vehicle had actually occurred on Dec. 23," BSO spokeswoman Keyla Concepcion said. "Of course, this piqued interest in our detectives because it fell between the time period that the incident had occurred."

Detectives located the vehicle in Miami-Dade County and found damage consistent with the crash.

Investigators said the suspect from Homestead was involved in another hit-and-run crash in Lighthouse Point.

Joanie Games said her son underwent another surgery Wednesday, and doctors had to put 12 screws in his spine.

At one point, the victim was in a medically induced coma, and now he's talking again and participating in physical therapy.

"I just thank the doctors and the nurses," Joanie Games said. "They pulled him through, because they didn't think he was going to make it."

Pathammavong is expected to face a judge at a hearing Wednesday afternoon.  He's already in jail on charges of driving with an expired license and possession of marijuana.

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Jan. 21: Walter Reyes was killed and Henry Hernandez was injured in a hit-and-run crash while they were riding their bicycles on the Rickenbacker Causeway.


About the Author:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.