‘DJ Swift’ recovers after hit-and-run; suspects yet to face justice

Out of the hospital and a new father Christian Ortiz, known as DJ Swift, is on the road to recovery, but the person behind the hit-and-run that injured him has yet to face justice.

“The shock that I can attribute to the story is the shock at the inhumanity of people,” Ortiz told ABC-7 at his home on Wednesday.

He referred to Aug. 7 the day when a white truck sandwiched him between another car, dragging him near Dewey’s Corner Pub in central El Paso, where he was DJing.

“I have a fractured right hip, a lacerated liver, six broken ribs, a collapsed long that was punctured, fractured right shoulder, a laceration in the skull and two fractured vertebrae,” Ortiz said, showing photos on the severe bruising surrounding his bandages, and rows of staples embedded into the side of his body.

Rico Velez, the owner of Dewey’s Corner Pub and friend of Ortiz, said the two know who was behind the wheel.

“Of course there’s things we can’t release, but we can definitely say that the vehicle has been identified the drivers, the suspect — the suspects,” Velez said. “Unfortunately, they lawyered up immediately and what we’re looking for now is just the public’s assistance.”

“For how it happened, I shouldn’t be walking,I shouldn’t be healing this fast, I shouldn’t be speaking,” Ortiz said. “I should be intubated somewhere. I should have more egregious injuries, but I don’t.”

All of this trauma as his wife was about to deliver the couple’s first child at UMC, where he was recovering.

“I was not gonna miss it I was not — I told them, you make it happen or I’m going to escape,” Ortiz said.

But he didn’t have to escape. About one week ago, he was able to witness his son, Sebastian, come into the world.

Boxes of diapers, bottles and children’s clothes are placed around the house, shifting the couple’s focus away from the tragedy.

“Putting our life back together little by little,” Ortiz’s wife Elizabeth said was their new goal.”Taking one day at a time. Appreciating that I still have this guy, and we have this little guy, he’s healthy.”

Ortiz said he can only attribute his recovery to a higher power.

“I give it to God there’s a lesson in this,” Ortiz said.

If you have information on who was behind this hit-and-run that could have been far worse, please call El Paso Crime Stoppers at 566-8477.

There is a $500 reward.