Friends and family of a La Jolla man left paralyzed after an assault in New Orleans’ French Quarter on Oct. 15 have launched a campaign to raise money for his medical expenses, including an estimated $20,000 medical airlift back to California. Doug David, 64, was attacked following a confrontation with the driver of a car in the French Quarter. According to a witness, David was punched once and suffered the worst of his injuries when he fell back on to the street. The driver reportedly ran a stop sign and nearly hit David, prompting David to throw a can at the car, after which the assault took place.
David is currently being treated at University Medical Center, and police are looking for a 30-year-old suspect from New Orleans named Christopher Smith. Local musicians have gone to the hospital to play for David, an avid fan of New Orleans music and a frequent visitor to the city.
Friends and family have set up a Facebook page called Justice for Doug David to help with the fundraising efforts. The group is also concerned with the reported lackluster response from New Orleans police, who did not open an investigation into the attack until 10 days after the incident. The group also cites the delayed response from the hospital, which did not notify David’s family until four days after he arrived. — Offbeat Magazine, New Orleans