FORT WORTH – Stewart Richardson, the habitual drunk driver who caused a 2009 crash that led to the death of an Arlington boy this year, was sentenced Wednesday to 50 years in prison, minus time served.
Abdallah Khader died from his injuries this past January at the age of eight.
Abdallah's mother testified Tuesday against Richardson, a repeat drunk driver. Loubna Elharazin was in the car with her son when it was struck.
After the sentence was read Wednesday, she addressed Richardson for what she said would be the last time in her victim impact statement.
"You got closer to God in prison, so prison is the best place for you," Elharazin said. "I have nothing to do with you after today."
Richardson's raised pickup hit the Khader's car as it sat at a red light on South Cooper Street. It crushed the back of the sedan. Richardson's blood alcohol level was more than three times the legal limit.
Richardson has been convicted nine times for intoxicated or impaired driving, and that his record includes 22 offenses in five states, and probation nine times.
Elharazin told Richardson Wednesday they finally got justice for Richardson's other victims.
"I forgive you, but I stand for justice," she said.
Her forgiveness was a change from the last time Elharazin spoke to Stewart Richardson.
He agreed to meet her in jail last year. Abdallah's mother wanted News 8 to be there if Richardson agreed to see her. At that meeting, she screamed at Richardson, slamming a photo of her son against a glass partition.
"I am never going to forgive you for what you did to my son!" she said during that confrontation. "Never!"
On Wednesday, Elharazin said she is afraid to have more children because of other potential drunk drivers.
"You planted fear in me," she told Richardson in court. "I'm so afraid to have other children, because there's many of you out there, and I don't know who is going to stop them."
It begged the question whether high-profile cases like Richardson's actually factor into someone's psyche when they consider drinking and driving.
"We have so much information now, it's hard to filter. I think rarely would it make a difference," said Dr. Laurie Metcalf, a longtime family therapist and professor at Texas Wesleyan University.
Metcalf said substance abuse is a factor in about half of her cases. She said despite increased awareness and DWI campaigns, personal experience is the most effective preventative measure.
"Often, they don't think it'll happen to them; it's somebody else's problem," she said.
Judge George Gallagher decided to let out-of-state convictions be factored into the sentence, so Richardson could have received up to 99 years in prison.
Charges against Richardson were not upgraded after Abdallah Khader died. Prosecutors said it would not have affected the punishment range, but would instead have made the case more complicated to present.
