Family of man critically injured in hit-and-run says he could be paralyzed

HOUSTON – The family of a man who was critically injured in a hit-and-run last week said Monday that he could be paralyzed.

The crash happened just after midnight Friday near Synott Road and Bissonnet Street.

"He's my son, he's my baby," said Laurie Pena.

Pena said her son, Joesph Pham, 21, was heading down Bissonnet near Synott Friday morning when another car clipped his vehicle. Pena said her son left his job at Constellation Field a short time before the accident.

Harris County Sheriff's officials said Pham's car was knocked off the road and through a metal fence. Pena said her son suffered fractured ribs, bleeding in his lungs and has multiple spinal cord fractures.

Pena said her son died twice while doctors were working to treat his injuries. She said Pham will likely be paralyzed from the waist down.

"The doctor said there's a hair to a very slim chance that he will walk (again), but most likely he will be paralyzed for the rest of his life," said Pena.

Pena said while her son was conscious when he was brought to the hospital, he is now on a ventilator.

Pena is turning to the public for help to track down the driver responsible for the crash.

“This person, whoever did this, they need to come forward,” Pena said. “Come forward now. Don’t wait till the cops look for you and get you. Be a man. Be a person. Be a human being. I know you have a heart.”

Harris County deputies said they have little information about the vehicle that hit Pham’s car. Pena said her son was conscious enough to say that the car that hit him was a dark-colored Scion.

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.

The family has also established a GoFundMe page, click the link to donate.

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Award winning investigative journalist who joined KPRC 2 in July 2000. Husband and father of the Master of Disaster and Chaos Gremlin. “I don’t drink coffee to wake up, I wake up to drink coffee.”