The wife and I decided to make a run to the Amish grocery store located north of Richmond today to pick up some homemade
"goodies". Beautiful Fall day with wispy fair weather clouds and the temperature at about 70 degrees.
I was tooling along interstate 70 heading east and before i knew it i had missed my exit. No big deal i'll just get off at the next exit 153 two miles down the road, and get back headed in the right direction. I come up on the next exit and there is a small SUV in front of us maybe 50 yards who also is getting off at 153 exit.
Except when he turns onto the off ramp he continues turning right off the pavement, hitting the guardrail and goes airborne.
Then the small SUV starts rolling and spinning, taking down some small trees and some brush. I would guesstimate that the vehicle rolled or flipped 5-6 times before coming to a rest upside down in the ditch.
I pull over immediately, tell my wife to dial 911 and i run back to the vehicle. I am dreading what i might find as i cautiously approach. The exhaust is smoking from some fluids that have dripped on to it and my worst fear is a fire with someone trapped inside. I bend down to the ground and yell to see if i can get any response from the occupants and i see movement in the front seat thru all of the deployed airbags. I don't hear very well so i just kept telling the person that help is on the way and everything will be OK. The front doors were smashed to the point of no chance of me opening them.
About that time a small furniture delivery truck pulls up and three guys hop out and come rushing over. I asked if they might have a fire extinguisher in the truck and one of them says he believes there is one in the cab. He grabs it and brings it over and i tell him to stand by close in case any flames appear. Myself and the other two gents on the scene try the back doors and we are able to get them open. I crawl in on
the drivers side and another guy belly crawls halfway into the passenger side. The driver is alone but pinned upside down and still buckled in the front seat. He says he is OK but stuck, so once again we try to just comfort him that help will be here within minutes. As long as no fire breaks out i was not going to try and remove him thru the back.
After what seems like an eternity but was only actually a few minutes a Fire Truck pulls up and the first fireman starts to immediately uncoil the hose. I tell him he has one person pinned in the front seat approximate age 65 and he is responsive and talking in no pain.
Then the first Sheriffs Deputy arrives and i again relay the info to him and he thanks me as i step back to let the pros get to work.
Soon an EMS vehicle and several more police show up. Within 5 minutes they have the driver out of the vehicle and he is standing on his feet with hardly a scratch on him.
I check with the Deputy to make sure he doesn't need any statements or info. He assures me none is needed and i tell him i'll be on my way to make room for all the emergency vehicles.
Only thing i can figure is the poor guy must have fallen asleep as we didn't smell any alcohol and it was about 11 AM.
Amazing to me that the vehicle had rolled and end over ended
that many times and the guy walks away with hardly any scratches. He never touched his brakes before the car started tumbling and he had to be doing 65-70 MPH at the point of leaving the roadway.
Someone was looking over his shoulder today and said,
"Not your time yet".
The wife was standing there with phone in hand still shaking and visibly upset over seeing this unfold right in front of us.
I gave her a big hug and told her "good job", it looks as if
everything and everybody was going to be alright.
So i've had enough adventure and excitement for the weekend.
Much respect for the Police, Fire Rescue, and other First Responders. Doctors and Nurses as well.
I don't believe i'd have the stomach or nerves to deal with what they do every day.
Chuck
"goodies". Beautiful Fall day with wispy fair weather clouds and the temperature at about 70 degrees.
I was tooling along interstate 70 heading east and before i knew it i had missed my exit. No big deal i'll just get off at the next exit 153 two miles down the road, and get back headed in the right direction. I come up on the next exit and there is a small SUV in front of us maybe 50 yards who also is getting off at 153 exit.
Except when he turns onto the off ramp he continues turning right off the pavement, hitting the guardrail and goes airborne.
Then the small SUV starts rolling and spinning, taking down some small trees and some brush. I would guesstimate that the vehicle rolled or flipped 5-6 times before coming to a rest upside down in the ditch.
I pull over immediately, tell my wife to dial 911 and i run back to the vehicle. I am dreading what i might find as i cautiously approach. The exhaust is smoking from some fluids that have dripped on to it and my worst fear is a fire with someone trapped inside. I bend down to the ground and yell to see if i can get any response from the occupants and i see movement in the front seat thru all of the deployed airbags. I don't hear very well so i just kept telling the person that help is on the way and everything will be OK. The front doors were smashed to the point of no chance of me opening them.
About that time a small furniture delivery truck pulls up and three guys hop out and come rushing over. I asked if they might have a fire extinguisher in the truck and one of them says he believes there is one in the cab. He grabs it and brings it over and i tell him to stand by close in case any flames appear. Myself and the other two gents on the scene try the back doors and we are able to get them open. I crawl in on
the drivers side and another guy belly crawls halfway into the passenger side. The driver is alone but pinned upside down and still buckled in the front seat. He says he is OK but stuck, so once again we try to just comfort him that help will be here within minutes. As long as no fire breaks out i was not going to try and remove him thru the back.
After what seems like an eternity but was only actually a few minutes a Fire Truck pulls up and the first fireman starts to immediately uncoil the hose. I tell him he has one person pinned in the front seat approximate age 65 and he is responsive and talking in no pain.
Then the first Sheriffs Deputy arrives and i again relay the info to him and he thanks me as i step back to let the pros get to work.
Soon an EMS vehicle and several more police show up. Within 5 minutes they have the driver out of the vehicle and he is standing on his feet with hardly a scratch on him.
I check with the Deputy to make sure he doesn't need any statements or info. He assures me none is needed and i tell him i'll be on my way to make room for all the emergency vehicles.
Only thing i can figure is the poor guy must have fallen asleep as we didn't smell any alcohol and it was about 11 AM.
Amazing to me that the vehicle had rolled and end over ended
that many times and the guy walks away with hardly any scratches. He never touched his brakes before the car started tumbling and he had to be doing 65-70 MPH at the point of leaving the roadway.
Someone was looking over his shoulder today and said,
"Not your time yet".
The wife was standing there with phone in hand still shaking and visibly upset over seeing this unfold right in front of us.
I gave her a big hug and told her "good job", it looks as if
everything and everybody was going to be alright.
So i've had enough adventure and excitement for the weekend.
Much respect for the Police, Fire Rescue, and other First Responders. Doctors and Nurses as well.
I don't believe i'd have the stomach or nerves to deal with what they do every day.
Chuck
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