By Terry Jessup

DENVER (CBS4) ― Denver police say a suspected drunk driver ran a stop sign and killed a cab driver Saturday.

The accident happened at 18th Avenue and Williams Street. The victim was an Ethiopian immigrant who left behind a wife and two young children.

Solomon Abraham was a driver for Yellow Cab who risked his life just to get to this country to be granted political asylum. Among other things, he was a deacon at his church and a leader in the Ethiopian community.

Abraham, 33, was a teacher and lawyer in his native country and a cab driver who worked a minimum 16-hour day in Denver.

“He was such a wonderful, humble person that we ever had,” friend Teklu Abraha said.

Abraham’s wife and two young children were among grieving family members who gathered Tuesday. Abraha says are lost without him.

“She was dependent on him. She has these small, two kids, so she’s like blind to the whole world for her, it’s so sad,” Abraha said.

Darian Blackwell, 21, is charged with crashing into Abraham’s cab while driving drunk. Police say Blackwell was traveling at a high rate of speed when he ran a stop sign.

“Solomon for me is my cousin, nice person, he’s a hard worker,” cousin DJ said.

DJ said he still stunned Abraham’s life was cut short so suddenly and wonders how his family will make it.

“She can’t survive right now, maybe somebody will help her,” DJ said.

Church members said Abraham had risked his life just to get to America, fleeing Ethiopia and then passing, even walking through several countries before he got to South America and finally got political asylum in the United States.

“He believed that America had the best democracy in the world, and so that’s why he came here and he was hoping to raise his children in peace,” Abraha said.

Yellow Cab has now set up a donation fund where they will match donations coming from his fellow drivers. Many of the drivers also came to Denver from Ethiopia.

Blackwell is being held in jail with a $75,000 bond, charged with two counts of vehicular homicide.

A benefit fund has also been set up in the name of Solomon Abraham through U.S. Bank.