The man pleads guilty to a crime that paralyzed the woman

PITTSBURG (KDKA) – A man who police say committed a terrorist act, stole and smashed cars and injured half a dozen people pleaded guilty Monday, but the woman he left paralyzed is seeking justice.

Mary Carlson is a mother of three who headed home that night after driving Uber in Pittsburgh. She will never walk again and wants justice done.

Derek Brown was free to leave the courthouse on Monday after pleading guilty to a terrorist attack in the city a year ago. But within miles of Latrobe Carlson was confined to a wheelchair, paraplegic to never walk or use her hands again.

“I’m paralyzed. It’s a lifelong trauma for me,” she said.

Carlson’s injuries are the worst of half a dozen of the victims of Brown’s revelry. After stealing a cell phone that night, police say Brown climbed East Carson, crashing into a car near the Hot Metal Bridge. There he is accused of pulling out the injured driver, stealing a car and speeding up on Second Avenue, driving away and deliberately trying to run into two pedestrians.

Police say he crashed into a Speedway store before leaving for East Park, where he crashed three cars involving Carlson and others. He stopped another car, pulled out this driver, stole this car and fled. He was later arrested at the Red Roof Inn in Monroeville, but Carlson’s life changed forever.

“I have three children and they were deprived of their childhood because of things they had to learn to help me. A child should not see or do that,” she said.

Brown pleaded guilty to the charges, including causing bodily harm and robbery, but the number of charges was reduced from 30 to 14 and in line with recommendations, and also because Brown had not been previously convicted.

His lawyer told the judge that he was undergoing treatment for mental illness and drug addiction. He may have months instead of years in prison.

“For me, it’s not justice, whether he’s been arrested before or not. What it says to the next person – I don’t care if he’s drunk, drunk, sober, whatever – who decided to do real life again grand theft car? ” Said Carlson.

Brown is on bail, and Judge Tom Flaherty will be sentenced in August.