Remembering David Parker

 

A Bright Future

David Parker could easily have gone by the name Peter Parker. However, rather than turning into a fictitious super hero David would become a real life super hero. David had already accomplished a lot by the young age of 26. The all-star athlete, who loved basketball, had been a member of Ohio Wesleyan University’s 1987-88 national NCAA Division III championship team. David also loved teaching and making a difference. After graduation he began teaching future athletes as a junior varsity basketball coach at his alma mater, Jonathan Alder High School. To supplement his income David also worked full time at Byerly’s Aquarium Shop. David was engaged the love of his life Angie Josche and was looking forward to being married and having children of his own. David never could have imagined that after he and Angie arrived home from dinner on a cool November night his dreams would be shattered forever.

A Senseless Crime

On November 28, 1993, David and Angie pulled into the driveway of David’s home after going out for dinner. It was about 8PM and the tree lined street was quiet as usual. As David and Angie sat talking in the car, a stranger wearing a hooded sweatshirt and armed with a gun approached the car and pulled open the driver’s door. The stranger put a gun to David’s neck and demanded money. Angie gave the man three dollars—all she had with her—and offered him her credit cards. David truthfully told the armed robber that he didn’t have his wallet on him. The wallet was in his gym bag in the trunk. When the man glanced at the house’s window and saw David’s roommate calling police he told David, “Get him off the phone.” When the man realized that was impossible, he decided to kill the only witness who could clearly identify him. He shot David Parker in the neck at point blank range. The bullet went through David’s spinal column and severed David’s spinal cord. The assailant fled, leaving David dying in the driveway.

Beating The Odds

David was rushed to Riverside Methodist Hospital in critical condition. The doctors said he likely would not survive. At best he would live however he would certainly never breathe on his own again. In addition, they advised David’s parents that David would never walk or use his arms again. David’s family and Angie were not going to give up on David. The hard working, farming family from the small town of Plain City, Ohio kept a vigil by David’s side.

Despite the doctor’s prognosis David slowly began to improve. Initially David required a ventilator and was unable to speak or move his head. He was paralyzed from the neck down. David spent two months in Riverside Hospital. Despite the doctor’s prognosis David eventually was ready to come off his ventilator. The closest hospital that was equipped to handle his transition was over four hours away in Erie, Pennsylvania. David made the four-hour trip and was slowly weaned off the ventilator over a period of four months. After returning to Columbus, David was determined to beat the odds.

Punk On The Run

Arnold Nichols was a punk. The crack cocaine addict spent his life doing drugs and stealing to support his habit. After being paroled in New York in 1993 for selling and possessing cocaine, Nichols violated his parole and absconded to Columbus, Ohio. Once he arrived it didn’t take long for Nichols to continue his criminal ways. He got together with his cousin Jesse Bannerman. The two went on a mini crime spree to help fund Nichols $100 a day cocaine habit. First, it was Bannerman’s turn. He approached David and Shirley Rodriguez as they pulled into their driveway. Wearing a hooded sweatshirt Bannerman held them at gunpoint and robbed them of $58. He also took Mrs. Rodriguez’s driver’s license and her daughter’s library card. Bannerman and Nichols drove two miles away, and then it was Nichols’ turn. Nichols’ crime would result in the shooting of David Parker.

After shooting David Parker, Nichols fled back to New York and turned himself into authorities for violating his parole. We believe this may have been Nichols futile attempt at an alibi.

During that time Columbus Ohio Police never gave up looking for the person who shot David Parker. They knew the Rodriguez and Parker crimes were connected and if they could solve one of the crimes they could solve both of them. Columbus Police Officers regularly visited David and showed him hundreds of mug shots with no success. Police caught a break in 1994, 13 months after David was shot. Bannerman and Nichols, who returned to Columbus after completing his prison sentence in New York, were questioned for passing a counterfeit $20 bill to a pizza driver. While being questioned Bannerman accidentally gave police Mrs. Rodriguez’s driver’s license rather than his own. Police immediately recognized Mrs. Rodriguez’s name and then found her daughter’s library card with Bannerman. Bannerman and Nichols were arrested.

The Rodriguez’s instantly identified Bannerman as the man who held them at gunpoint. David Parker immediately recognized Nichols as the man who shot him and paralyzed him for life.

Tried And Convicted

In 1996 Arnold Nichols went on trial for shooting and paralyzing David Parker. Nichols tried to claim he was not in Columbus at the time of the shooting.

David Parker, who clearly saw the shooter’s face, said differently. In a dramatic courtroom moment, Judge David Cain ordered Nichols to stand in front of David for one minute. The exact time David said it took to commit the crime. David maneuvered his wheelchair with his chin while Nichols walked up to David. David looked at Nichols for one minute. He never flinched or looked away. With 100% certainty he identified Nichols as the shooter.

The jury had no trouble finding Nichols guilty of two counts of aggravated robbery (For robbing Angie and David); one count of attempted murder, and also one count of carrying a weapon under disability (For carrying a gun while on parole). Judge Cain imposed the maximum sentence and sentenced Nichols to 18 to 83 years. That, however, would not be the end of Nichols’ court appearances.

Over the next several years Arnold Nichols would do everything possible to avoid paying for his crimes. Twice he would appeal and force David, his family, and Angie to go through the pain of two more trials. There they would see the two sides of Arnold Nichols.

In front of the jury Nichols would be polite and quiet. When the jury was not present Nichols would be arrogant and hostile. He urinated on and threw feces at guards. He never showed remorse. He even taught himself how to beat a lie detector test by using countermeasures.

By the third trial Nichols was frustrated. In a fit of rage he lunged at the prosecutor, called her a bitch and told her she would never convict him a third time. Nichols was wrong. Three times Nichols was found guilty by 36 different jurors. After each trial every juror had the same request. To have the opportunity to meet David Parker.

A Real Life Super Hero

With the help of his family and Angie, David accomplished what many thought was impossible. Although he was paralyzed from the neck down, David regained the use of his head and used his chin to operate his wheelchair. He went to the movies and dinners with Angie. He went to his 10th high school reunion. He was even a groomsman at his younger brother Todd’s wedding.

David also continued to purse his passion to help children. In 2004 he received his master’s degree in teaching from Wright State University. He became a social studies teacher at Jonathan Alder High School. He also continued to coach basketball from his wheelchair. He even started a board game club for students who were shy and did not have many friends. Though it all David never quit. David once said “We like to say we’re not handicapped – just extremely inconvenienced. For the most part, we can do pretty much what we want to do.”

David Parker passed away on January 9, 2011, as a result of his injuries sustained 17 years earlier. Over 1500 people packed the Jonathan Alder High School gym to pay their respects. The majority of those people were students, who thought of David as both a mentor and friend. At David’s visitation and funeral, numerous students and former students told of the impact that David had on their lives. Over and over, David’s family and Angie would hear statements such as the following:

• “I never would have graduated if it weren’t for Mr. Parker.”
• “Mr. Parker was the reason I got into college.”
• “I was bullied in high school, and Mr. Parker was the only person I could talk to.”
• “I was going through a really tough time, and Mr. Parker helped me through it.”

David Parker was a positive, caring, respected member of society. He touched so many lives and changed them for the better. His memory is cherished by all who knew him.

David’s paralysis and untimely death have shattered the lives of David’s family and friends. David’s parents were his primary caregivers for the rest of his life, assisted by nursing staff, David’s siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

Although David and Angie never married, they remained close until the day he died. Angie has never married, nor does she intend to. The plans David and Angie had for a life together were destroyed in an instant.