Officer Jon Harris with fiancee, Tamarae Kendrick, and their daughter Lauren, speaks about Sunday's crash. (Craig Ruttle photo) | ZOOM |

        The paraplegic who slammed an SUV into five people Sunday told police he had been driving for two hours, using his hands to move his paralyzed leg from the brake to the accelerator.

        Investigators have spent hours piecing together the facts of the accident outside Paul Brown Stadium that left a Mason teen-ager dead and four people injured, two seriously.

        Police are getting limited help from driver Darrin Stafford, and passenger Frederick Shipman, both of Evansville, Ind.

        The pair stopped talking to authorities Sunday and both now have public defenders. They remained in the Hamilton County Justice Center on Monday.

Stafford

Shipman

        Mr. Stafford did say, however, that he had been driving part of the way from Evansville to Paul Brown Stadium — a 215-mile trip — because Mr. Shipman, who owned the Kia Sportage sport-utility vehicle, had been drinking and was too tired.

        Mr. Stafford volunteered to take a breath test, which showed he had not consumed any alcohol, police said.

        According to restrictions on his Indiana driver's license, Mr. Stafford shouldn't have been driving a car that wasn't equipped for his handicap.

INFOGRAPHIC

How it happened

        But his license is suspended for failing to appear in court on a minor traffic case, police said. He also was wanted in Evansville for failing to show up in court last year on a check deception case.

        The men, like the people they hit at 11:42 a.m. Sunday, were headed to watch the Bengals play the Tennessee Titans. They know each other from work at Sterling Boiler and Mechanical in Evansville. Mr. Stafford works in scheduling there and Mr. Shipman in quality control, company president Dan Felker said.

        Mr. Stafford worked there about six months. Mr. Felker was not certain how long Mr. Shipman had been an employee.

        A woman who answered Mr. Stafford's phone Monday in Evansville would say only that he became paraplegic after injuring himself three years ago in a motorcycle accident.

Men arraigned; bonds set

        Police still aren't sure what time Sunday morning the men left Evansville or what route they took.

        But Cincinnati Officer Steve Edwards, an accident reconstructionist, said it's possible the accident happened because it was the first time Mr. Stafford had to try to brake after driving the rest of the way on interstates.

        “We still have a long way to go in this investigation,” said Sgt. Bill Coombs, a supervisor in the traffic unit.

        Mr. Stafford, 30, was arraigned Monday on an aggravated vehicular homicide charge in the death of Scott Asbrock, 15, of Mason. Police think the teen-ager was the first hit. Mr. Stafford also faces three counts of aggravated vehicular assault. His bond was set at $55,000.

        Mr. Shipman, 43, was arraigned on charges of complicity to aggravated vehicular homicide, three counts of aggravated vehicular assault and criminal damaging. His bond was set at $40,000.

        Mr. Shipman, whom police described as agitated and belligerent at the scene, was charged with criminal damaging for trying to kick out the back window of a police cruiser. He refused to speak with investigators.

        Both cases are expected to be heard by a grand jury within a week.

        One victim, Stewart Williams, 21, of Middletown, remained hospitalized. Kyle Fields, 18, of Madeira, was discharged Monday afternoon. Police consider them key to their investigation, but have not yet been able to speak to them.

        Two others — Mr. Fields' brother, Kenneth, 20, and Mr. Williams' fiancee, Jami Henderson, 21 — were treated for minor injuries.

        Cincinnati police Officer Jon Harris, who was directing traffic outside Paul Brown Stadium when he saw the red SUV out of the corner of his eye, spoke about the accident Monday afternoon.

        He brought his fiancee and their two young children with him to police headquarters, and repeatedly said he was grateful he was not hurt worse and could still go home to them.

        He paused several times while talking about the scene he said changed his life and career forever. He pushed two people out of the way of the vehicle, but isn't sure which people they were.

        “What I saw was bodies of individuals flying up in the air and coming down maybe within two or three feet of where I was standing,” Officer Harris said. “I heard people saying, "He's not stopping.' People were lying, shivering.”

        The SUV whacked Officer Harris' left wrist as it drove by. He said the long sleeve of his shirt briefly was stuck in the passenger's side mirror.

        He said he was first concerned about helping the victims, but quickly saw other Bengals fans stopping to help. He also was worried about his partner, who had been working nearby.

        “But I knew my duty was to pursue that vehicle,” Officer Harris said, “until I could get the driver out or get a license plate” number.

        He ran almost a block to Race Street, where he said “I didn't tell him, I demanded” the driver stop.

        Chief Tom Streicher called Officer Harris' quick response “an incredibly heroic action by the officer by putting himself in harm's way to save others.”

        Officer Harris said he keeps wondering what else he might have done to prevent the fatality.

        “But all traffic was stopped, the lights were working,” he said. “All I could do is try and salvage or save those two citizens.”

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