‘My family is never going to be the same’: Family of victim killed in drunk driving crash speaks out
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An arrest has been made in the drunk driving crash that killed two men over the weekend.
Grahm Parker is the driver who is charged in the crash that happened just before midnight on Sunday.
Geoffrey Wilson, 32, and Cody “Allen” Dion, 31 were the two men were killed in the crash.
Family tells News 8 the two were best friends and had recently been traveling around the country working as Instacart shoppers as a way to continue to working while exploring. They had come back to Indianapolis temporarily to pick up paperwork before they headed out to Denver, Colorado, to continue their adventure.
Parker is facing multiple charges connected to drinking and driving resulting in a death. Police say Parker got off of Interstate 465 at Kentucky Avenue and was heading southwest when he veered off the road and hit Dion and Wilson.
“Some witnesses on scene said that he was driving southbound on Kentucky Avenue without any lights on and going at least 65-plus,” Jeremy Wilson, Geoffrey’s brother, said.
Before the crash, family says the two were riding their longboards nearby. Then they headed to a gas station nearby to grab some snacks and a drink. They were getting ready to cross Kentucky Avenue when they were hit.
“We have two families that are destroyed right now because we lost two great individuals,” Jeremy Wilson said. “They were avid longboarders. They were the best people in the world.”
Parker stayed on the scene, where he was later arrested.
“In my opinion, drunk driving accidents are 100% avoidable,” Jeremy Wilson. “They are 100% preventable because we have so many different apps in the 21st century.”
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department says there have been 123 pedestrian-involved crashes so far this year. Of those, there have been 10 deaths including the two victims from Sunday evening.
“He made the decision to go out and consume alcohol. He should have made the choice to know if he was going to consume alcohol that he had another ride or a different way to get home,” Jeremy Wilson said.
IMPD reported 652 crashes with a BAC equal or greater than .08% since July of 2018. Those crashes account for 283 injuries and 87 deaths.
“My family is never going to be the same from this incident,” Jeremy Wilson said.
Now, 24 hours ahead of what would be his 33rd birthday, the Wilsons are planning a much different gathering honoring their loved one.
“We spent all day today planning a funeral when we should have been planning a birthday celebration,” Jeremy Wilson said.
The families have set up fundraisers to help pay for the funeral expenses:
Fundraiser honoring Geoffrey Wilson
Fundraiser honoring Cody “Allen” Dion
The Wilson family is asking any witnesses on the scene of the crash to reach out to Jeremy Wilson on Facebook or Twitter.