Cochran Firm – Ohio Tapped to Represent Mother of 3-Year-Old Killed in Westwood Car Accident

A Westwood, Ohio mother who lost her little boy in a horrific car accident has retained The Cochran Firm – Ohio to represent her. Little Rodriquez Taylor, Jocelyn Austin’s 3-year-old son, was killed on October 8th, when a car careened into his family while they were walking along the east side of McHenry Avenue in Westwood. The driver of the car accident was allegedly drunk behind the wheel.

“I heard a big boom and the car came quick,” Ms. Austin recently told Cincinnatti.com. “She just came toward us and hit me and I blanked out. I woke up and my baby was in the street.”

Ms. Austin was walking three of her children to their babysitter in the pre-dawn hours of October 8th when the tragedy occurred. They were singing the classic Barney song, “I Love You,” as they walked. Ms. Austin planned to drop her children off at the sitter’s before she reported to her part-time job stocking shelves.

According to police, a 2000 Honda Accord driven by 35-year-old Sheba Basabose had flown out of control and crossed the center line behind Ms. Austin and her children. The car slammed into a utility pole before hitting the family, and only stopped after it collided with a fire hydrant.

Little Rodriquez, affectionately dubbed “Drico” by his family, was pronounced dead at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Both Ms. Austin and her 1-year-old son, Ricardo – in a stroller at the time – sustained non-life-threatening injuries. By some miracle, 5-year-old Richard escaped unscathed.

“My son is gone now. I’m never going to forget this. I never thought it would happen to my baby. He was always so playful and I thought we would have made it without any problems to my babysitter. I am so sorry he is gone,” Ms. Austin told Cinncinnatti.com.

Ms. Basabose has since been indicted on two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide and one count each of aggravated vehicular assault and vehicular assault by a Hamilton County grand jury. If convicted, she faces a maximum prison sentence of 12 1/2 years.

“It won’t bring him back, but hopefully she learned her lesson,” Ms. Austin said after hearing of the indictment.