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NEWS
| DECEMBER 2, 2005
Accident
Student relapses back into coma
Police indicated possible evidence
in the crash, and will begin an investigation.
By Heather
Ann White
The Shorthorn staff
Biology sophomore Ashley Willis has lapsed back into a coma after
regaining consciousness earlier this week.
Willis’ mother, Sheila, said Ashley had a 102-degree fever
and had developed a lung infection Thursday.
Her jaw was broken in two places and she had a steel plate inserted
into her chin. Her mother said doctors had to cut the wires that
held Ashley’s jaw in place to clear her windpipe with a suction
tube and that she also had a second tracheotomy, a procedure that
assists with breathing.
Doctors then rewired Ashley’s mouth, and she was put back
on a ventilator after breathing on her own for the past week. Willis
said her daughter will have her mouth wired shut again for six to
eight weeks.
“She was really doing better,” her mother said. “The
doctors say it won’t be a setback.”
Ashley Willis initially lapsed into a coma Nov. 23 after her car
was totaled on Interstate 45 en route to Houston. Sheila Willis
said her daughter made several phone calls to her before the accident,
complaining of drivers harassing her while driving.
Ashley Willis was exiting the highway when her back tire skidded,
causing her to lose control of her truck and crash into a tree on
the driver’s side.
Sheila said her daughter is on antibiotics, but that doctors aren’t
sure whether Ashley’s setback is a result of pneumonia or
bacteria.
“She was cognizant of everything we were saying,” she
said. “She was communicating with her hands, squeezing our
hands, and yesterday, she was opening her eyes an hour at a time.”
Alex Willis, Ashley’s father, said a criminal investigation
of Ashley’s accident was to be conducted earlier this week,
but Centerville police have not started the investigation. He said
the officer in charge has a tape of a 911 call made at the time
of the accident but he would not release the caller’s identity.
“Nothing has been done,” Alex said. “We don’t
know who called 911 or if they have any information about the drivers
[who were harassing] Ashley.”
Ashley’s father said the police indicated there may be evidence
that Ashley was chased off the road and hit from behind. He said
a man stopped and helped her after the crash but that he was not
an eyewitness.
The Centerville police could not be reached for comment.
“It’s such a shock that [Ashley] has to endure all this
trauma,” Alex said. “She’s such a good kid. We
want to find out who did this and put [them] in jail.”
He said his daughter will be moved to Methodist Hospital in Houston
after her infection clears and eventually start rehabilitation at
the Texas Institute for Rehabilitation and Research, also in Houston.
“She’s a very strong girl and a fighter,” Sheila
Willis said. “We’re just praying that this setback won’t
create anymore problems.”
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| Ashley
Willis
biology sophomore
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