Family mourns boy's death

08NHBPSI · Post by **08NHBPSI** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 6:42 pm

PEORIA —
Just after learning his 4-year-old son was dead and just before he was taken into police custody, Michael Wells cried in his mother's lap.

"He said, 'Mom, I just want to go home to my son, but he's not going to be there,'" a sobbing Crystal Wells said Sunday evening of her 21-year-old son.

Michael Wells was performing a wheelie on his motorcycle in the parking lot of Hundman Lumber, 2601 W. Altorfer Drive, about 5:30 p.m. Saturday when he struck his son, Ashton, who was riding a bicycle nearby.

The East Peoria man, a forklift driver by trade, was arrested later Saturday evening for aggravated reckless driving and operating a motorcycle on one wheel, among other charges.
He said goodbye to his dead son while wearing handcuffs, Crystal Wells said.

"He looked at me and said, 'Mom, this was an accident. I would have traded places with him and taken my own life before I let my son be hurt,'" she recalled.

Michael Wells, a recreational motorcyclist, and friends occasionally got together with friends to perform stunts on their bikes, Crystal Wells said. They were given permission months ago to practice their tricks in the parking lot of the lumber yard near the Allen Road Wal-Mart Supercenter, she said.

Ashton, who looked up to his dad, always wanted to come along, but Michael Wells hadn't allowed it before Saturday. The boy's mother, Holly Blanch, and several other spectators tagged along to watch Saturday's practice. The energetic 4-year-old was given a bit of free rein on his bike.

According to Crystal Wells, her grandson was riding his bike at the opposite end of the lumber yard parking lot while his dad performed his stunts. Excited to finally be free of training wheels and even more excited about being with his dad, the boy darted toward his father before Blanch could catch him - and before Michael Wells had a chance to react.

His first instinct, Crystal Wells said, was to rush his injured son to the nearest medical help he could find - Methodist MedPointe on North Knoxville Avenue, 2 1/2 miles away. When they arrived, Ashton Wells had a pulse and was breathing but was immediately transported by ambulance to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 6:20 p.m.

Police went to the hospital and escorted Michael Wells back to the scene of the accident for questioning. He was arrested at the scene shortly thereafter and was driven back to the hospital in handcuffs to view his son's body.

The two were inseparable, Crystal Wells said. Six months ago, Michael Wells had "Ashton" tattooed on his wrist, which he nervously rubbed at the hospital while waiting to hear his son's condition. A protective father, Michael Wells wouldn't let his son ride his bike outside the yard.

"He was a grieving father who didn't have time to comprehend what happened," Crystal Wells said while dabbing her eyes with a nearly empty roll of toilet paper and smiling at a sea of pictures spread across the kitchen table in her Peoria home. "My son needs to be with his family. He is a grieving father, not a criminal."

Michael Wells will make his first appearance before a judge today. An autopsy on the boy is also scheduled for today.

That's a crazy sad accident

delslo · Post by **delslo** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 6:51 pm

TurboFreak · Post by **TurboFreak** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 7:44 pm

Why do they need to do an autopsy on the boy? they know what killed him. man i feel bad for the father, icouldnt imagine what he is going through.

02Type-S · Post by **02Type-S** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 7:50 pm

That must be the worst feeling in the world

orange94hatch · Post by **orange94hatch** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 8:07 pm

that sucks!! i feel for the father

Tyler · Post by **Tyler** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 8:08 pm

that is crazy. i feel for that guy. there needs to be a grieving point for things like this before they are hauled away to jail

delslo · Post by **delslo** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 8:23 pm

Tyler;140525 wrote:that is crazy. i feel for that guy. there needs to be a grieving point for things like this before they are hauled away to jail

I def. agree. He knows its a bad deal, and he's not trying to dispute that. His like has already changed forever. I wouldn't be surprised if he never stunts again.

Post by **stolle** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 10:44 pm

thats sucks, i know how it is to lose a child, its the worst feeling in the world, he shouldnt be sitting in jail he should be with his wife...

SweetEBPSi · Post by **SweetEBPSi** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 10:46 pm

Hmm...An interesting reaction from all.

kikkinasphalt · Post by **kikkinasphalt** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 11:20 pm

wow...