Victim in alleged drunk driving crash caused by Highland Park councilman: 'He drove into us'
Highland Park councilman was allegedly drunk in crash, say police
Efforts to find Khursheed Ash-Shafi for comment were unsuccessful. But on Monday of this week, the councilman addressed the incident at a council meeting, with a fiery rant.
HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. (FOX 2) - A Highland Park council member was in a car crash, and made a rant about it at a city meeting. But now his victim is contemplating a lawsuit.
Councilman Khursheed Ash-Shafii was allegedly drunk in a crash that left Jaylan Timmons injured.
"I didn’t know he was the councilman and I didn’t know that he was drunk," said Jaylan Timmons.
The backstory:
Timmons was a passenger in the Impala that was hit by Ash-Shafii, on April 7th.
"I was bleeding from my head like it was bleeding from my hair so I was like a shock trying to see what was wrong," he said.
Police bodycam in the wake of the crash shows Timmons approaching the officer after being asked if he needed a medic.
"Look at my face, bro. He drove directly into us," he says on video.
Timmons says he is still in pain, two weeks later.
"My neck, my knees, my back, my ribs, my knees," he said.
FOX 2: "All from the car accident?"
"Yes," he said.
Timmons says he was taken by ambulance to Henry Ford Hospital. He has since followed up with a doctor, and he hasn’t been able to work.
On bodycam the councilman explained his side of the story to police.
"I had to (unintelligible) there was nobody here," Ash-Shafii said. "And all of a sudden I don't know where the (expletive) they came from, but they were right in front of me - and we ran right into each other."
The councilman allegedly refused the preliminary and breath test.
Councilman Ash-Shafii was given tickets for multiple charges including drunk driving, resisting arrest, obstructing police, and no registration or proof of insurance.
Efforts to find Ash-Shafii for comment were unsuccessful. But on Monday of this week, the councilman addressed the incident at a council meeting, with a fiery rant.
"In case you don’t see the rage behind the face that you’re looking at here, you want me to move?" he said. "Do you want me to step down? Make me step down."
Related: Highland Park councilman goes on profanity-laced rant after drunken arrest in April
Resident Reggie Thomas defended the councilman.
"A very good man," he said. "I don’t have nothing bad to say about him. None of the neighbors around here. don’t have anything bad to say about him.
The councilman‘s next court appearance is May 7. As far as Timmons goes, he’s thinking about suing the councilman.
The Source: Information for this report came from police, an interview with Jaylan Timmons and from a Highland Park City Council meeting.
Large photo: Police bodycam showing Khursheed Ash-Shafii. Inset: Jaylan Timmons.