Oakland fatal crash survivor speaks amid difficult recovery; upset teen suspect charged as juvenile

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- A survivor of a deadly crash in East Oakland last month is speaking publicly for the first time, describing his injuries, recovery and the accountability he wants to see for the teenage driver accused in the case.

A 17-year-old is accused of driving onto a sidewalk in May, hitting a group of people after striking a car. Three people were killed in the crash and several others injured, including survivor Durran Riley, who is also known as "Toot."

Riley spoke with ABC7 Eyewitness News from a medical rehabilitation facility and recalled the moment of impact.

"That car sounded like, all you heard was, it sounded like a bomb went off," he said.

Authorities say the teen driver veered onto the sidewalk during the high-speed crash. Riley said he and others were struck in the aftermath.

RELATED: Prominent East Oakland resident remembered as 'valedictorian of the streets' after deadly crash

"He was a legend. My uncle was a people's person, he loved this block right here, he fought for this block where he died on," a witness said about a man known as "OG Frog," one of three victims killed after a car drove onto a sidewalk in East Oakland.

Among the three people killed were 63-year-old James Robert Dixon Jr., known as "OG Frog." Riley says that Frog was his friend.

"It's been very hard to deal with," he said. "He was actually a good dude, very good guy. I was here with him one second, and the next second, he was gone."

Riley sustained extensive injuries.

"I got four cracked ribs. I got a sprain in my elbow. My left ankle is basically sprained," he said.

In addition to those injuries, Riley has a broken right femur, multiple fractures in his left leg, multiple puncture wounds, collapsed lungs and a concussion.

Video shows Riley in a wheelchair during rehabilitation, working to move his legs. The recovery process has been difficult, with basic tasks posing significant challenges.

RELATED: New video shows moment teen driver crashed in Oakland killing 3 on sidewalk

Oakland city leaders are shedding more light on a crash that killed three people in Oakland after a speeding vehicle plowed into a group of people.

He said he remembers hearing a loud sound before waking up in a hospital.

"I actually woke up the next morning with my son in the hospital, and I was saying, when I woke up, I was like, I asked my son, 'What am I doing here?' He was like, you know, 'Dad, you got hit by a car.' I said, 'Me get hit by a car?'" Riley said.

Riley said his 20-year-old son has been a major source of motivation during his recovery, adding that he wants to regain his strength to help him with school.

The teenage driver has been charged with vehicular manslaughter in juvenile court, Riley said. He expressed frustration with that decision.

"When he went, you know, even though he may have been 17, he was driving that car like an adult and he was using it as a weapon," Riley said.

Oakland's acting police chief has previously described the crash as appearing to be a tragic accident.

As he continues rehabilitation, Riley said he is also concerned about the cost of his medical care, though he remains hopeful he will recover.

Before all of this happened, Riley worked with a non-profit that helped get people off the streets. You can help him with his costs here.