Lincoln woman on the mend from ‘devastating’ crash with man accused of driving drunk

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – A Lincoln woman returned home Tuesday for the first time since police say she was hit by a drunken driver, but her fight is far from over.

Kaylee McIntire was driving home from a gas station on April 26 when she got in a crash, landing upside-down.

First responders got to the scene at 10th and B streets around 10:45 p.m.

“I looked over to my left side, and I saw lights,” McIntire said.

That’s the last thing she remembers before waking up in a hospital room with serious injuries.

McIntire was hit by 19-year-old Jose Cayax, according to a crash report from the Lincoln Police Department.

Police said he was speeding, ran a stop sign and was driving under the influence.

His passenger was also hurt, so Cayax is facing two counts of DUI resulting in serious bodily injury.

SEE ALSO: Two seriously injured in Lincoln crash; driver arrested

McIntire has spent the last week and a half in the hospital, healing from several broken ribs and a broken pelvis.

“It was broken in three different spots,” she said. “They didn’t do any surgery on my ribs, so every time I breathe, my ribs move. And it knocked eight of my teeth out.”

She said it could be several months before her pelvis heals.

To add insult to injury, police said Cayax doesn’t have a license or insurance.

“I’m 39, and I have a walker,” McIntire said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do, to be honest with you. I have two kids, and I can’t work; I can’t do anything.”

McIntire is a single mother of two boys.

Her family has been helping out and has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money.

But her sister Cortney Taylor said they’re struggling to figure out what comes next.

“It was devastating,” Taylor said. “How are we supposed to get her a new car? How is she supposed to take care of herself and her medical bills?”

McIntire said most people don’t take impaired driving seriously until it affects them.

“It’s not deserving for those people to lose their lives just because you think you can drive after you’ve had a few drinks,” she said. “You’re not just affecting you; you’re affecting a lot of people.”