Jun 22, 2009 7:38 pm US/Eastern
Autism Expert Killed In Alleged DUI Crash On LI
Stony Brook University Professor Edward Carr Dead After Collision With Suspected Drunk Driver
STONY BROOK, N.Y. (CBS) ―
A Long Island community is mourning after a strong voice in autism research is silenced, allegedly by a drunk driver.
Professor Edward Carr developed widely used techniques for dealing with people with autism.
Stony Brook University colleagues openly wept. The couple's only child, Aaron, struggled to keep his composure.
His internationally known father, Edward Carr, an expert in autism research, was dead. His mother, Ilene Wasserman, also a noted psychologist, was barely clinging to life. Both were victims, say police, of a 66-year-old intoxicated driver.
"I think the best thing you can do, when people make mistakes like that, is learn to forgive, and not continue to be angry and hate," Aaron said.
"It's just so darn hard. A useless death, useless," Edward's brother, Allan Carr, said. "He had so much to do, he was just starting to get into a new development for autism."
The Carrs were returning to their East Setauket home Monday afternoon when, police say, a drunk from Rocky Point, Michael Koss, swerved his Jeep – with two passengers – head-on into the Carrs' Honda Civic.
"Ted was probably our most popular professor in the department," Stony Brook colleague Professor Patricia Whitaker says. "He always won 'Teacher of the Year' awards"
Coworkers say that every day Carr's psychology students would come in for office hours to chat with their brilliant, funny, charismatic, professor, a world-renowned autism expert.
"Everyone in the autism community is in shock," Lauren Adamek, Carr's graduate assistant, says. "Ted was in the business of really trying to provide hope for families."
The university says it is devastated by the loss. The senior citizen suspect was also injured, suffering a broken leg in the crash, but is recovering at Stony Brook University Medical Center.
The alleged perpetrator is due to be arraigned at his hospital bedside on charges that are expected to be upgraded.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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