It was just after midnight and I was heading to bed when I heard it. I raced downstairs and out our front door to see what happened. It was eerily dark and silent and it took a few moments before I noticed smoke coming from a car two doors down on my neighbours driveway. I ran towards it and suddenly found myself flat on the cement! I had tripped over our street light which was now lying across our sidewalk on the other side of our driveway! I quickly ran back inside to get a flashlight, had Brad call 911 and headed back to the accident to see if someone was hurt and was the first one to the scene.
The vehicle had landed upside down, the windows were all blown out and smoke was coming from the engine and a lady inside was out of control crying "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! Get me out of here please!"
"Ma'am, it's okay, calm down, we've got help on the way," I replied as I shone the flashlight into her window to see her. She was upside down, pinned in the crushed car with air bags deployed.
"NO! Please don't call anyone! I'm so sorry! Please just get me out of here!"
"Ma'am, we need help to get you out. Can you tell me if there is anyone else in the car with you?"
"No, just me. I'm not hurt. Please just get me out! I don't need help! I'm so sorry!" She was obviously in shock, had no clue how serious the accident was and kept apologizing over and over and begging me to get her out. I tried to calm her down, asked her name, told her mine and just kept talking calmly to her while waiting for help to arrive.
By now a few other neighbours were emerging including one on her cell phone with emergency who was warning us to back away from the car in case it exploded from the leaking fuel and smoke. They were also warning us to NOT touch her despite her pleas for help.
While sitting talking with her, I began to absorb the scene and was shocked as it came together what had happened. I admit that I enjoy watching CSI and felt like I was suddenly being called on to investigate. What was clear right away was that she must have been flying!
1. She smashed into the street light on the right side of our driveway sending it flying to the other side of our property and onto the sidewalk and street. She must have missed our van parked on our driveway by mere inches!
2. She likely flew through the air (there were no tire tracks on our property) crashing through a large spruce tree on our neighbour's yard and damaging the back of his vehicle. We figure she was sideways in the air at this point as there were tire tracks across his back window!
3. She continued through yet another large spruce tree on the next yard, crashed into their van (totalled it) and finally landed upside down on their driveway.
Paramedics, firemen, policemen were soon swarming the scene allowing us to step back and let them do their thing. One neighbour was sure the driver was bleeding profusely from her head, but when they pulled her out, the only blood I noticed was coming from her hand (thank goodness as I usually faint at the sight of blood) and she actually seemed to be in remarkably good condition! They braced her neck of course and took her away in the ambulance.
We didn't get to bed until about 3:30am and although much of the carnage was cleaned up that night, we did take some photos the next morning and further "CSI'd" the scene in the daylight.
Conclusion: Although there were no apparent signs or smells of alcohol and road conditions were dry, there were indications that she was traveling at a high rate of speed and possibly talking on her cell phone. At no point did she apply the breaks before impact. Officers indicated that her life was spared due to wearing a seatbelt and the deployment of her airbags. And our personal conclusion is that we were so very fortunate to not have our van or our property involved... not that I'm happy it was my neighbours, but we have already had 2 of our cars totaled in a similar fashion in front of our home and know the hassle it is, but most importantly I was so very thankful that she survived and no one else was injured as it could have been so much worse!
5 comments:
oh wow - that girl is so incredibly lucky... good thing she had the "CSI/Walmart Personal Shopper" first to the scene...
wow, that makes for an interesting morning to say the least, glad everyone is ok!
hugs, perhaps have a res and hug all those you love, that must of stressed you out!
wow that is amazing....that she was not hurt, things oculd have been alot worse for her...im glad your property was not damaged, but sorry to hear your neighbours did not fair well...
An incredibly lucky lady to have survived that kind of accident. She was lucky you were there too and acted so quickly to get help.
Wow is right. She is indeed very lucky to have worn her seat belts and that the airbag protected her from death. Allison you had detailed the story with much information that whilst I was reading it I am almost at the scene seeing it for myself. Great writing.
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