As beloved former Red Sox star David Ortiz recovers at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, police in the Dominican Republic are questioning a number of suspects in the case.
The man who drove the alleged gunman, Eddy Vladimir Féliz Garcia, made his first appearance in a Santo Domingo court Tuesday. His lawyer, Deivi Solano, told The Boston Globe his client was unaware at the time that he’d picked up the suspected shooter.
“This boy did not do anything,” Solano said in a courthouse interview. “He was totally surprised by what happened.”
Garcia, 23, initially was hospitalized with several injuries after being brutalized by a crowd outside the spot where Ortiz was shot. He since has been released from medical care.
Solano said Garcia, who he said makes a living as a motorcycle taxi driver, picked up the alleged gunman “in good faith” before the man opened fire on Ortiz. In fact, he said his client grew up worshiping players like Ortiz, Pedro Martinez and Manny Ramirez since the Red Sox won the 2004 World Series.
“He is David Ortiz’s No. 1 fan,” he said. “Since (Ortiz) won the World Series in 2004, he has cut out articles and pictures of Ortiz and put them on his walls.”
