Simon Lakritz is off the ventilator and is able to breathe unaided, although the former Hanford mayor still remains in intensive care, his family members said Tuesday afternoon. Also, Lakritz has reportedly started to regain consciousness.

"It's a great step forward for him," said Bradley Lakritz, one of his four sons. "He is still recovering from all the medications. He's still heavily sedated. They've stopped the medications, but it will take some time to get it all out of his system."

This major breakthrough came almost four days after the 77-year-old community leader was involved in an accident that was prompted by an ongoing heart condition.

Lakritz suffered arrhythmia and lost consciousness while driving in town Friday night. While unconscious, he crashed his car into a trailer on Fargo Avenue near Douty Street. He has since remained in the trauma care center at Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno.

As of Monday, Lakritz was still on life support, although he had been progressing slowly and beginning to breathe on his own. Doctors were awaiting results of a CT scan to determine if his lungs were clear of fluid so they could take him off the machine.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Lakritz was reportedly beginning to recover consciousness and was taken off mechanical ventilation.

"He is awake and talking, but still not coherent," Bradley Lakritz said Tuesday.

Lakritz is expected to remain in the trauma intensive care unit for another 48 hours before he can be transferred to a regular hospital room, his son said.

The reporter can be reached at 583-2429.

(July 23, 2008)