BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) – The oil rig worker caught in a devastating explosion that left him riddled with injuries appeared digitally in court today.
Leo Andrade was actually on parole at the time of the crash and today his lawyer asked the court to end the remainder of his parole due to his serious injuries.
Andrade has less than three months of his parole to serve but because of his injuries from the explosion, things are complicated. He can’t climb the stairs to his assigned halfway house, so he’ll technically break his parole.
Leo Andrade can’t walk due to injuries sustained in the blast, but he still has a pair of armed corrections officers watching him 24/7 outside his room at Kern Medical.
About 10 years ago, Leo Andrade was convicted of robbery. He served his sentence in prison and has since been on parole. His attorney, David Torres, says Andrade should end his parole now.
“To ask the court to end the parole because this gentleman cannot walk. He was seriously injured in the legs. He won’t be ambulatory enough for six months or even a year,” Torres said.
Judge Brian McNamara said the taxpayer had a responsibility to provide health care coverage for Andrade and that would be a problem ending his parole sentence, but a representative from MMI Services said the The company’s health insurance would cover Andrade instead of the town.
An exclusive statement with MMI Services reads: “We are investigating the causes of this accident and are cooperating fully with Cal/OSHA and E&B investigations…We need to know exactly what happened in order to ensure that this will never happen again.
Judge McNamara ruled in favor of Andrade, but instead of the parole ending early, the court would reconvene on January 17.
In the meantime, Andrade will need to have a tracking bracelet and is approved for physical therapy. The guards on duty will be withdrawn and Andrade’s wife and the rest of her family will be allowed to visit for as long as they wish if they follow hospital guidelines.
“It’s just a weight on all of our shoulders. It was hard losing contact with him and having to follow protocol, but now it’s another right foot forward,” Leo’s wife Danielle Andrade said.
Danielle said Leo is recovering slowly. She also said he had trouble breathing and speaking, but doctors said with time and effort he will get better.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) – The oil rig worker caught in a devastating explosion that left him riddled with injuries appeared digitally in court today.
Leo Andrade was actually on parole at the time of the crash and today his lawyer asked the court to end the remainder of his parole due to his serious injuries.
Andrade has less than three months of his parole to serve but because of his injuries from the explosion, things are complicated. He can’t climb the stairs to his assigned halfway house, so he’ll technically break his parole.
Leo Andrade can’t walk due to injuries sustained in the blast, but he still has a pair of armed corrections officers watching him 24/7 outside his room at Kern Medical.
About 10 years ago, Leo Andrade was convicted of robbery. He served his sentence in prison and has since been on parole. His attorney, David Torres, says Andrade should end his parole now.
“To ask the court to end the parole because this gentleman cannot walk. He was seriously injured in the legs. He won’t be ambulatory enough for six months or even a year,” Torres said.
Judge Brian McNamara said the taxpayer had a responsibility to provide health care coverage for Andrade and that would be a problem ending his parole sentence, but a representative from MMI Services said the The company’s health insurance would cover Andrade instead of the town.
An exclusive statement with MMI Services reads: “We are investigating the causes of this accident and are cooperating fully with Cal/OSHA and E&B investigations…We need to know exactly what happened in order to ensure that this will never happen again.
Judge McNamara ruled in favor of Andrade, but instead of the parole ending early, the court would reconvene on January 17.
In the meantime, Andrade will need to have a tracking bracelet and is approved for physical therapy. The guards on duty will be withdrawn and Andrade’s wife and the rest of her family will be allowed to visit for as long as they wish if they follow hospital guidelines.
“It’s just a weight on all of our shoulders. It was hard losing contact with him and having to follow protocol, but now it’s another right foot forward,” Leo’s wife Danielle Andrade said.
Danielle said Leo is recovering slowly. She also said he had trouble breathing and speaking, but doctors said with time and effort he will get better.