DeAndre Williams: Against All Odds

[cooljayhu]

February 8, 2007[/b]

“Is it getting better or do you feel the same? Will it make it easier on you now? You got someone to blame. You say one love, one life.”

It seemed as if Bono was urging me to break the awkward silence that had fallen between us. The only noise was the engine and the radio playing U2's One Love. I wanted so much to tell her how I felt about her, but I couldn't do it. I couldn't put that kind of pressure on her. Telling her how much I loved her and how much I cared. She barely knew me and dropping that on her just wouldn't be fair. But I couldn't stand to be without her anymore; I couldn't bare to spend another second without her knowing. So I made up my mind and began to tell her what I have hid deep inside me for years.

“Uh Sam,” I began, “there's something I need to say. Something I've wanted that I've kept inside for longer than I can remember.”

“What is it DeAndre? You can tell me. You can trust me.”

“Wow. Um yeah, I've rehearsed this exact conversation in my head more times than I can count and now I can't think of what to say. Okay, I guess I'll just come out and say it. Everyday for the past 4 years there has only been one thing worthwhile in my life. Not my friends, not school, not even football.”

“What then? What's that one thing.”

“You. You're the only thing holding me together. You are everything to me and you always will be. Samantha I love...” I saw the headlights at the last second and WHAM! A car ran the light and slammed into the passenger side head-on. I held on for dear life as my truck flipped through the air. Sky, ground, sky, ground was all I could see. My truck slammed back down to earth and tossed me from through the shattered window.

As I lay there on the cold asphalt, I felt scared for the first time in my life. I couldn't move because my entire body hurt. I was staring at my truck, unable to move, as suddenly it burst into flames. As I faded into and out of consciousness I turned my head to Samantha lying about 10 feet from me. The last thing I remember is the blood. It was everywhere around us. It all faded to black as the faint sound of sirens filled the night.

[Buzz Killington]

Only someone like DeAndre could be smart enough to tell that to the love of his life while driving.

No sympathy from me. He's an idiot.

[Loki]

May 10, 2008 18:43:27 GMT -5 Buzz Killington said:

Only someone like DeAndre could be smart enough to tell that to the love of his life while driving.

No sympathy from me. He's an idiot.

LOL.

Regardless, this is so movie right here I like it, keep it up.

[detroitbasketball]

I appreciate the U2 line on Bono's real life birthday. I'm sure it was unintentional, but well played regardless.

[cooljayhu]

it was so intentional

and how was it his fault? the guy ran a red light

[Buzz Killington]

I don't understand how you can't say some lovey dovey crap like that while driving. As you would say, I think it's more than just a coincidence.

[SilverChaosVII]

lmao. wow Usma.

Anyway man, I just caught all up and I'm lovin it. Since Loki sucks at updating it looks like I'll be reading both of these lol

[cooljayhu]

February 11, 2007[/b]

“And now a recap of our top story tonight. DeAndre Williams, star football player for the Helix Highlanders, is still in critical condition today after a horrific hit and run car accident early Saturday morning. Police have remained tight-lipped about the accident; however, it is believed that alcohol was a factor as several beer containers were recovered from the burnt wreckage of Williams's car. The driver of the other fled on foot and has yet to be apprehended as the car he drove was stolen.

Williams is currently recovering at UCSD Medical Center in San Diego. He has been unresponsive and unconscious since the accident, but SDPD Lieutenant John Riggs, the lead investigator of the accident, said Saturday morning that Williams would be questioned opon regaining consciousness. However, Riggs gave no indication of whether Williams would be charged for the death of his passenger 17 year-old Helix student Samantha Richter.”

I groggily lifted my head unsure if I had heard the newscaster correctly. “What the fuck did she just say?” I questioned still wondering if I had been dreaming. “There's no way she said that.”

“Believe it kid,” said a voice to my left, as a man emerged from the shadows, “she's dead and you killed her.” It wasn't until then, that I felt the handcuff around my wrist. I was shackled to the bed like a prison inmate.

“I didn't kill her. She's not dead, she can't be... Oh my God, she's dead.” I broke down into tears as the man drew closer. “Why the fuck am I handcuffed?” I sniffled through my sobbing.

“I am here to tell you that you're officially being charged with manslaughter.” He unclipped the badge from his belt and raised it up to my face. “I'm glad you finally woke up Mr. Williams. I wouldn't have forgiven myself if someone else was to give you this news. My name is Sergeant Tony Richter and I am going to make you pay for what you did to my daughter.”

There was a knock at the door and a vaguely familiar man in an expensive suit entered the room. “Sergeant Richter, why am I not suprised to see you here? Didn't Lieutenant Riggs specifically request you not interfere?” His eyes quickly scanned to my shackled wrist. “Why is my client handcuffed like that? I demand you release him. This is absurd, I doubt DeAndre will be going anywhere in his condition.” I finally recognized him as James Stafford, my dad's best friend and our family's attorney.

“Sorry Stafford no can do, that's standard procedure in a case like this.” Richter began to walk towards the door. “See you later DeAndre, I'm sure we'll see each other again very soon.”

[cooljayhu]

March 22, 2007[/b]

DeAndre Williams posted bail yesterday and was released from San Diego County Jail into the care of his parents Charles and Deborah. Williams has been charged with vehicular manslaughter in the death of Samantha Richter, daughter of San Diego Police Sergeant Tony Richter. Police believe that Williams was intoxicated before driving home with Richter from a house party just outside of San Diego. This is despite the fact that no breathalyzer test or blood analysis was done after the accident. Several beer containers were found in the burnt wreckage of Williams's Ranger leading investigators to lay charges almost 24 hours after the accident.

Lead investigator John Riggs had this to say: “We regret not taking a sample earlier but until we found the cans and bottles the next day we had no reason to believe that Mr. Williams was criminally responsible. A BA level test at that time would have been inconclusive as so much time had passed.” So now all that remains is to see if Williams will take a plea bargain or bring his vow of innocence to court.”

I flicked off the TV and felt every eye in the courthouse waiting room on me. What was going on? I haven't even sipped a beer in over 3 years. How could they charge me without an actual test? They wouldn't even let me tell them the cans and bottles weren't mine. It seemed noone, not even my own family, believed me. Stafford was meeting with the Assistant District Attorney Jesse Rodriguez to discuss a plea bargain. I was going to plead guilty to killing the woman I loved even though I wasn't responsible.

“Glad to see you're as tired of this bullshit as I am Williams.” I didn't need turn around to know it was Sergeant Richter behind me.

“Hello Sergeant, I thought my lawyer was clear that if you kept harassing me, I'd sue you for police brutality for your treatment of me in the hospital.”

“Harassing? Who's harassing here? I'm just here to make sure the ADA doesn't go easy on you. You've hid behind your fame for far too long. I'm gonna make sure that you get what you deserve.” I could feel an intense rage building in the pit of my stomach, something that rarely happened before the accident. I was never this emotional before but something about seeing Sam covered in blood triggered something dark inside of me.

“Richter what the fuck are you doing here?” Stafford had finally returned to save me before I did something stupid. “I thought I told you to leave my client alone. Come on DeAndre, ADA Rodriguez is ready for you. Richter I better not see you near DeAndre again.”

Richter smirked at me as I got up and walked away with the help of my crutches. That douche bag got the whole department to focus on me instead of searching for his daughter's real killer. It didn't even seem he was mourning Sam, instead he has resorted to following me wherever I go and hounding me at every turn.

Before I knew it I was standing in front of Rodriguez, prepared to admit my guilt but only for the right “price” as if my entire life and future was a used car. “Hello DeAndre,” he began, “my name is Jesse Rodriguez and I am the Assitant District Attorney but you probably already knew that. Okay, well what I am about to tell may be hard to take but you need to understand that it is the truth, that I'm not trying to trick you, and that your attorney is in agreeance with me. If this goes to trial you will lose and go to jail. There is enough evidence against you that there is a very small chance of acquittal even with your status and reputation in the community.” My heart sank as the news hit me. There was no chance of me proving my innocence, even Stafford was resigned to that fact.

“However, I believe that with your non-existant criminal record, you being a minor and your volenteer work within the community a reduced sentence can be reached. James and I have come to a plea agreement that we feel is in your best interest; however, we, of course, still need your approval for it to go through. The agreement is that you plead guilty to a lesser charge and offer a full public apology. In return you will receive 1 year of probation. No jail time, however you will be required to check in periodically with the local police to ensure that you stay within the San Diego county area. Also, when you are fully healed and ready you will be allowed to move to Gainsville to attend school. You sign this agreement and you get your life back, you'll move on to college and keep playing football. Simple as that.”

It only took me a second before I replied with, “I just want to go home. I'll sign whatever you want me to.”

An hour later I was in front of rows of cameras and hundreds of people apologizing for what had happened. I fielded question after question while crying inside. I was admitting to something I didn't do. I was admitting to killing the love of my life. It took me awhile to see Richter in the back of the crowd, his eyes seething with rage. I may not be going to jail but I have a feeling this isn't over for him.

[SilverChaosVII]

Man, fuck the police and the justice system.

Great story tho. You got me on the edge of my seat.

[cooljayhu]

actually all things considered he got off very light

[SilverChaosVII]

nah, no way. innocent until proven guilty. this was the opposite.

they fucked up and didn't take the tests. if you ask me he should be off the hook completely. there is zero proof that he was drinking... lol

anyway. as you can see i like this

[cooljayhu]

just wait you haven't seen anything yet this basically just the prelude there is still some shocking moments to come

[cooljayhu]

March 30, 2007[/b]

The real problem I'm having digesting this agreement is that it seems noone is remembering the fact that this girl is dead. Dead, gone, never coming back. Yet this Williams kid is going to go on to “great” things at Gainsville as if this didn't happen. A year of probation and a public apology for causing the death of a 17 year-old girl. It's outrageous. I'll tell you what, the courts really fucked up on this one. This kid should be in jail no questions asked, yet he's reportedly going to be fully healed in a few months and ready to go for fall camp at Florida. I don't know, I just can't get over this.

I switched off Rome is Burning as I tried to quell the intense rage building inside. I wanted nothing more than to tell everyone that I would never be the same. I died that day lying on the asphalt watching Sam take her last breath. I died, and a new person, an angry, resentful, bitter person rose from the ashes. I changed so much that day that I didn't even know the person who I saw in the mirror. I had sunk into a deep depression and become heavily dependent on alcohol and tylenol 3's to get through the day. Rome was right Sam was dead and never coming back, but neither was I.

I was about to break done into tears as my phone buzzed on my dresser. I picked up it, unsure of who could be calling as almost all of my friends had cut themselves off from me after the accident. “Hello?” I questioned.

“DeAndre I think you need to put it on Channel 6.” It was Gray, the only person who seemed to be supporting me. “But I'm warning you, it's not pretty.” I quickly flipped on my TV and changed it to 6. Urban Meyer was holding a press conference and he didn't seem pleased.

“With the recent events surrounding recruit DeAndre Williams's legal problems, we feel it neccessary to rescind his scholarship to attend our university. I will not take any players on my team with past criminal history, especially something as serious as DeAndre's offense was. We wish Mr. Williams the best of luck but unfortunately he will not be attending the University of Florida.”

I turned off the TV and began to sob as I saw my entire future crumbling before me.

[SilverChaosVII]

OH SHIT!!!! lol. this is good...

[cooljayhu]

April 12, 2007[/b]

42 letters all in a row. 42 letters and each one of them say “no”.

It was a ryhme that I couldn't get out of my head. 42 letters from college coaches across the nation each one rejecting me for something I didn't do. I picked up the Miami letter which read “Unfortunately we have no scholarships left over for the 2007-2008 season and as such will unfortunately be forced to reject your application for admission to our University.” Bullshit. They're rejecting me because of the accident, because they see me as a publicity risk.

It wasn't they're fault though, it was Richter. He called the papers, giving them the names of each of the 42 colleges I sent letters to. The reporters hounded the coaches, asking them their opinions on having a murderer on their team and in their school. Each coach backed off, fearful of losing their jobs because of public backlash. I had become “blacklisted”, unrecruitable.

I had nothing left. I had no college, no football, no future. No Sam. I had to end it all, all pain and the suffering, and there was only one way. I stole a bottle of Jack Daniels from the liquor cabinet and my dad's revolver from his closet. I just walked, walked for hours trying to forget everything that had happened to me, everything that happened to her.

[cooljayhu]

April 13, 2007[/b]

“The test of success is not what you do when you're on top. Success is how high you bounce when you hit the bottom.
- General George S. Patton

If Patton was right I had never been a success. I had hit rock bottom and I had hit it hard. Here I was staring out into the vast Pacific with the barrel of a gun pressed to my temple. All I had left in this world were questions. How had it come to this? Why was she stolen from me? Why didn't anybody care about me anymore? I was preparing myself for what I had to do, when a voice startled me.

“Williams you're not seriously gonna off yourself are you?” I wheeled around to see Richter, with his gun drawn.

“Yeah I am. It's the only option I have left.” I looked him straight in the eye and pressed the gun back to my head. I was suprised to see tears welling in Richter's eyes and slowly lowered my gun.

“You know what the last thing Sam ever told me was? How much she cared about you. She asked me if it was alright if she went out with you. She's was my little girl you know, she wanted my permission to date you. I thought she was nuts, I thought it was some adolescent star crush. She said that she was falling for you DeAndre, but I knew you were going to break her heart. You were going to use her but you never got the chance. Now, you're taking the easy way out and I can't let you.” He began to cry as he raised his gun to point it at me. “I can't let you because if you're going to die I'm going to be the one who kills you. I loved her so much and you stole her from me. I can't think straight anymore, she was my world...”

“WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT FROM ME!? To tell you how much I loved her? To say that I see her a hundred times a day, in every face I see on the street? I see her everywhere but I can never be with her. I loved her Tony. I loved her more than anything in this world. I cared about her so much but now she's gone and my life is empty. I don't even care about college or football, I would give all that shit up for just one day. One more day with her. I wish now that it had been me who died that day. Look at me! I willing to give up my life just to be with her! She was my world too Tony, just as much as she was yours.

“So you know what kill me cause you'll be doing me a fucking favor; but trust when I say this, it's not what Sam would want. It's not going to bring her back.” I realized then how stupid it was for me to kill myself. It wasn't going to bring her back to me. In the process of trying to convince Richter of not killing me I finally realized what I needed to do. I needed to live my life for her. Do everything I can to make my life mean something because that's the only way to be close to her again. “So what are you going to do Tony?”

Richter began to sob and the grip on his gun loosened. “Why? Why? Why couldn't it have been you instead of her?” His gripped suddenly tightened and I saw rage in his eyes. I tried to jump out of the way of his aim but didn't move fast enough. He squeezed off a round that hit me in the chest. I staggered back as I could smell the burned flesh from the bullet hole. I took another step back but there was nothing there. As I plunged of the pier I heard Richter fire off another shot. When I crashed into the frigid water I wasn't angry or afraid. I was calm. I was going to see Sam again.

[detroitbasketball]

Up next: the obligatory miraculous survival story!

[cooljayhu]

seriously if you gonna be like that don't read

[detroitbasketball]

May 15, 2008 17:30:15 GMT -5 cooljayhu said:

seriously if you gonna be like that don't read

Dude, I was kidding. Simmer.