DENVER — The man responsible for injuring a Denver police officer and limiting his chances to work possibly could drive again despite a history of seizures.
Officer John Adsit appeared in court Friday and told the judge he believes he’s one of God’s miracles for surviving the horrific accident.
Adsit left court with the support of his family after he told the judge he no longer has the ability to throw his daughter in the air or play basketball with his son.
After 16 surgeries, it’s not clear if he will ever be a police officer again. He, fellow officers and the Denver District Attorney asked for a prison sentence for the man responsible.
“A stronger message would’ve been a Department of Corrections sentence and that’s what I was after,” District Attorney Doug Jackson said. “Because I think the community needs to know you can’t behave like this.”
Instead, the judge gave Christopher Booker six years of community corrections. It was more than the probation Booker sought but also not prison.
It’s more of a halfway house, where Booker will spend his nights in custody, and his days in treatment and possibly at a job.
Booker’s defense attorney said “yes” that Booker was seen driving after the accident and “yes” that he reapplied for his driver’s license despite a medical history. That history includes 11 seizures in 10 years, including four last year.
“He continues to pray for the officers and all of their recoveries, as you heard in here today. This was a medical issue. He had a seizure,” Giancarlo Small said. “He was diagnosed with epilepsy in March of this year, not before.”
Adsit left without speaking after the sentence was given, but it’s clear his sergeant wanted prison not a halfway house.
“Mr. Booker showed a history of disregarding advice and was driving when he shouldn’t have been. I’m not so sure that he would give up driving based on what I saw and that’s why I recommended to the court, that I thought incarceration was necessary — in this case — simply from a public safety standpoint,” Michael Farr said.
Booker said he has no plans to drive again. However, a doctor’s recommendation from just days ago said he can drive again, with new medication.
The judge said even if he had given Booker six years in prison, with good time, it is likely Booker could be out in less than three years. He felt with community corrections, he would receive more supervision and treatment.