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Victim of alleged OUI driver enraged after judge sets bail for suspect

BOSTON – It’s been nearly four months since 12-year-old Shalynn Bobbitt was hit by an allegedly drunk driver outside her South Boston home, and while she’s come a long way in her recovery, the suspect has also come a long way through the judicial system.

“I use my crutches in my house and I've used my crutches twice at school. I’m in the wheelchair most of the time,” she said.

When she was hit in August, Shalynn fractured her skill, pelvis, leg and arm.

Days later, 78-year-old Richard Higgins of Attleboro was arraigned on charges of operating under the influence on a revoked license. It was his fifth time being charged with OUI.

“It would have been a lot easier had this never happened to me, but it did so I’m just going to have to go with the flow,” Shalynn said.

The only comfort Shalynn and her mother had was knowing that Higgins was in jail with no chance of getting out.

But that's not the case any longer. A pretrial detention order issued for Higgins back in August has expired and a judge had set bail.

“I immediately started shaking as if it was the same day Shalynn was on the sidewalk,” Shalynn’s mom Kelly Bobbitt said after learning about the change.

If Higgins can come up with the money for his release, he's still not allowed to get behind the wheel of a vehicle. Bobbitt told Boston 25 News she’s concerned because that has apparently never stopped him before.

“Who's going to be responsible for the next person he hurts,” she said. “If he didn’t stop on the fifth time, you’re not stopping now.”

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