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Boy hit by car at airport before reunion with dad

Posted: December 17, 2011 - 11:02pm

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (AP) — A 6-year-old boy struck by a car at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport had been on his way to greet his father who was returning from an 11-month tour in Iraq with the Oklahoma National Guard, the boy's mother said Saturday.

Zachary Drew was hit and seriously injured as he, his mother and three siblings were walking from a parking ramp into the terminal Friday evening, his mother told the St. Paul Pioneer Press (http://bit.ly/tLRFlA ).

She said Zachary suffered a broken leg and nose, lost most of his teeth, and he may need reconstructive surgery on his jaw.

"This guy turns the corner and he just ran over my son and dragged him 10 or 15 feet," Vanessa Drew said. "He didn't slow down. He didn't even stop until he hit a concrete wall."

A 61-year-old St. Paul man was arrested on suspicion of criminal vehicular operation, and the officers reported the man smelled of alcohol, airport spokesman Pat Hogan said.

Vanessa Drew said the incident was terrifying and she was stunned someone could drive so poorly, "at an airport, no less." Her son underwent surgery Saturday at Gillette Children's Hospital in St. Paul.

Hogan said the accident remains under investigation by airport police and a toxicology report is pending.

Zachary's father, Richard Drew, was returning from his fourth tour of duty. The family had been living in Poteau, Okla., but Vanessa Drew and the children moved to Coon Rapids, just north of Minneapolis, while he served in Iraq. She is a Minnesota native.

Richard Drew's father, Joseph Drew, said the couple met when they were Marines serving earlier tours of duty in Iraq.

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Information from: St. Paul Pioneer Press, http://www.twincities.com

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.

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autumnsun
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autumnsun 12/19/11 - 08:33 pm
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we should have ZERO tolerance for drunk drivers

What a nightmare! My thoughts and prayers go out to this family. My anger goes out to the drunk that caused this horrific thing to happen. I think we should take away his privilege to drive for the rest of his life and he should spend a chunk of time in prison.

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