Boy whose leg was amputated after crash to receive $700K settlement

The boy who had to have his leg amputated after sustaining collateral injuries from a car crash outside of Abraham Lincoln Elementary School in 2013 will receive $700,000 in a settlement, Coachella Valley attorney Peter Wucetich said Tuesday.

Adrian Grajeda was struck by debris in the crash while playing outside of the school during recess. The man charged with DUI in the crash, 84-year-old Malcom Paterson, later died in January of 2015 from apparent natural causes.

Adrian Grajeda one year after crash

The DUI case was delayed several times due to Paterson failing to show to court.

Malcolm’s wife Evelyn took over as defendant in the civil suit, Wucetich said in a statement Tuesday.

A major portion of the money won’t be available until Adrian turns 18. Wucetich said the official settlement agreement is expected to be signed Wednesday.

The loss of a leg hasn’t done much to slow down young Adrian Grajeda, who was fitted with a prosthetic running leg in 2014 and soon began working on his ultimate goal to become a professional soccer player.

News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2 will pass along any new information that may come from Wednesday’s settlement.