Resident survives accident, plunge over hill

BY

Photo by Driver

On Thursday, Nov. 16, at approximately 5 p.m. a Dodge Ram 2500 truck veered off the road on Vacation Dr. and crashed into a pad mounted equipment box which tripped the circuit and caused an electrical flash that sent the vehicle and 800-pound box plunging off the side of the hill. “The explosion was so big and bright that I couldn’t even see the numbers on my phone to call 911,” said one witness.

The vehicle rolled several times, taking out everything in its path, before landing upside down near the bottom of the hill. The equipment box landed on the driveway of the home at the bottom of the hill, just a few yards from the vehicle.

A small brush fire started on the hill but was quickly extinguished.

The 30-year-old driver, who asked to remain anonymous, was able to free himself and walk away from the vehicle. He was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital for evaluation and was released later that evening.

“My only injuries were a bump on my head and a very sore body,” said the driver. “I feel lucky to be alive.”

The driver said he was not speeding. “Every time I come in the gate I set my cruise control at 35 because I don’t want to get a ticket,” he said. “When I crashed, my speedometer was stuck on 35. My wife took a photo of it the next day, so I can prove I wasn’t speeding if I had to.”

The driver said he was coming home from work and talking to his wife on Bluetooth when his phone and water bottle that were sitting on the center console slid off and fell near his feet when he came around the curve on Vacation Dr. near Klamath Ct. Fearing they would roll under the brake pedal, he reached down to get them. When he did, he veered off the road. By the time he looked up, it was too late to brake.

The driver’s wife was still on the phone at the time of the accident. “I heard the entire accident over the phone,” she said. She described the incident as terrifying.

Many residents lost power when the circuit tripped and electrical flashed occurred. Some residents reported losing power for less than a minute while others reported losing power for hours. Power was restored in the early morning hours.

Due to darkness, the towing company determined that it would be safer to remove the vehicle in the daylight. The vehicle was secured on the hill until it could be removed and towed the following morning.

“I want to thank those who helped me,” said the driver. “I love my family and I’m so thankful to be alive to see my wife and two-year-old daughter again.”