Wanda Watts is vigilantly attending court hearings on the man accused of fracturing her grandson’s skull when he allegedly struck him on a dirt bike in Montz.
Randy Bellow, 26, of 206 Hollywood Park Drive, was arrested and charged with vehicular negligent injury and ATV prohibited on shoulder shortly after the incident. Bellow also was charged with obstruction of justice when he apparently removed his dirt bike and debris from the crash scene before deputies arrived to investigate, according to the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Bellow “was trying to clear up the blood on the road when a deputy stopped him,” Watts said. “All I remember that night was Ethyn’s bike on the road. I did see the puddle of blood when I walked back to my vehicle.”
Her grandson, Ethyn Powe, is recovering well although he remains fearful of getting on a bike. Watts said the investigation is still underway from the incident that will have happened a year ago as of March 25.
Evidence indicates it’s possible Bellow acted against Powe out of maliciousness, which could up the charges against him, Watts said. His next court date is March 28.
Bellow “needs to face up to what he did,” she said. “I don’t believe in putting anybody in jail, but he needs to fess up to what he did and never allow him to ride one of these dirt bikes again. That bike doesn’t belong on the road. It belongs on the dirt. He needs to learn the right side of the law and comply with it.”
Powe remembers the accident in which he suffered a head injury and burns from being dragged on Hollywood Park Drive in Montz, but he doesn’t recall being taken to the hospital.
But Watts said it was a shock to the entire family when they learned he’d been hit head-on on his bicycle and then dragged several feet onto the roadway. Bellow is accused of attempting to pass Powe and then colliding with him. Bellow apparently carried the child to a nearby house where a bystander called 911 for help.
Watts said they located Powe on a sofa at the house with EMTs working on him. He was taken to University Hospital where he was diagnosed with two skull fractures.
Powe is in much better physical condition nearly a year later, but the emotional scars are proving more difficult hurdles for him.
[pullquote]“His overcoming the fear of getting back on the bicycle is the only thing we see.”- Wanda Watts[/pullquote]“His overcoming the fear of getting back on the bicycle is the only thing we see,” she said. “He isn’t rough playing like he used to, but he is probably afraid of another head injury.”
He had surgery to put tubes in his ears, a need that was discovered as part of his care from being struck on the bike. Watts said a blood clot formed in his right ear from those injuries and was dissolved at which time his hearing was checked and determined his ear drums weren’t dilating.
The eight-year-old will only comment on his incident if asked specific questions.
“It’s like he doesn’t want to dwell on it. He’s trying to get past this and past the fear. That’s our main focus,” Watts said. “ At eight years old, he should be playing football or just playing like crazy, but that’s not happening.
“I’m sure he relives it a lot and doesn’t say anything.”
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