Delivery Driver Who Was Brutally Beaten Still Hospitalized

Thursday, September 20th 2007, 9:00 pm

By: News On 6

The family of a Muskogee man who was robbed and beaten Tuesday night says they are still shocked by the senselessness of the crime. Jason Rush is battling a brain injury and is still in a Tulsa hospital's intensive care unit. His skull is broken on the left side of his head, he has cuts on his face and on his lip, and he still hasn't regained consciousness. News On 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright met Jason's father and uncle on Thursday. Lori Fullbright reports Rushâ€™s family says Jason opens his eyes once in awhile, but has no idea what happened to him.

This is all happening as Jason Rush's little girl celebrates her 6th birthday. Rush's family says the light of Jason's life is his daughter Rachel. Her birthday was Thursday, September 20th, two days after her father was beaten and robbed. Jason had planned many fun activities for a weekend birthday celebration, but all that is on hold as his family helps Jason Rush recover from his injuries.

"They just took an EEG on him for brain wave activity. We're hoping there's no damage or permanent damage, but at this point and time it's still up in the air," Jason Rushâ€™s father Paul Rush said.

Paul, his brother Jeff and other family members say it's hard to understand how someone could plan a crime like this. Police say on Tuesday, three people, Christina Hall, Jesse Moler and Robert Peters, called Dominoâ€™s for a pizza with the sole purpose of beating and robbing the deliveryman. Jason happened to get that delivery. He was ambushed and beaten with a baseball bat, said police. The suspects then left him bleeding and with a severe head injury.

"Then, they went inside and ate the pizza afterward. That's how cold blooded and cold hearted these people are," Paul Rush said.

The suspects even took the pizza boxes and pizza warmer back to their home, which was nearby, police said.

Jason didn't realize he'd been injured and drove home. He wrecked his car just a few houses away. His father drove up on the crash minutes later.

"He was very violent from the head injury and I had to help calm him down," Rush said.

Jason's family says he's a quiet, hard working man, and the fact that he was nearly killed over $20 cash and $24 worth of pizza is unthinkable.

"You see it on TV, you feel sorry for the people it happened to, but you're glad it's not you,â€ said Rush. â€œNow, I'm the one, or my son is the one it happened to, the whole family has to deal with it."

The good news is that Jason's vitals are getting stronger and his family has hope he will recover.

This is the second time he's been robbed on the job, the first time he was able to run away.

Watch the video: Family Shocked By Brutal Beating Of Delivery Driver

Related story:

9/19/2007 Three Arrested In Robbery, Beating Of Delivery Driver