A Crestview Hills man who has been an advocate for safe driving after he was injured in a drunk driving crash at 15 that put him in a wheelchair, has been hit by a suspected drunk driver.
Brad Fritz, known as “Champ,” was hospitalized after he was hit by a suspected drunk driver at the intersection of College Park Drive and Turkeyfoot Road in Crestview Hills at 8:15 p.m. Tuesday, according to a report from LINK’s media partner, WCPO.
WCPO asked whether Fritz was on the sidewalk or crossing the street at the time he was struck, and a captain for the Lakeside Park/Crestview Hills Police Department said the incident was still under investigation.
When he was 15, Fritz was injured as a passenger in a car crash where a friend who had been drinking was behind the wheel. Now 41, he advocates for safe driving around the region.
On his website, Fritz says that”I utilize my life story to make a positive impact on teens and young adults to influence their decisions in life.”
“I never back down from a challenge,” Fritz said in a 2014 interview with WCPO before he was preparing to participate in a Flying Pig race. “I never let life get the best of me.”
Brad’s brother, Mickey Fritz, gave an update on Brad’s condition in a Facebook post Thursday morning.
“Brad is currently intubated (breathing tube) and sedated,” read the post. “He is stable but has a long way to go. They continue to do neuro checks on him and he is responsive. He has sustained an extensive list of injuries, and his care team at UC is addressing them as they can.”
He went on to write that, “It’s a miracle and blessing that he is still here with us. They are doing everything they can to balance out his sedation and pain management.”
Mickey Fritz thanks the community for all of the outreach and support he and his family have received.
“If there is one thing about Brad, he is a fighter,” the post reads. “He always reminds us that he is Champ. He surely is deserving of that title today. As he continues this battle, we will do our best to post his progress. He will remain in ICU for the foreseeable future. Please keep Brad in your prayers; he can use every one of them.”