Just got a Big Surprise!

[huntsman53]

Just before 4:30 PM, I heard tires squalling and a large boom. I quickly grabbed my coat and ran out the door as I knew that it was another wreck and the third on my' property in the last 8 years. I quickly ran out and saw a big white Chevrolet Dually going across the road next to my' neighbors home and could see the door was mangled and sticking out. While running towards the truck, a man called out to me. He was laying on the ground next to the power pole in my' yard and I was so focused on getting to the truck, that I did not see him. He was ejected from the truck upon impact but through the door which seems kind of odd. However, he was probably leaning against the door to brace for the impact and when the power pole peeled the door open, he probably fell out. Although he stated that he is okay, I insured that he did not get up until the Paramedics and Firemen arrived. They are right now checking him out and they know him, since he is a fellow Firefighter. Apparently some lady slowed her car as she neared my' home due to snow and ice on the road but since he could not slow or stop that quick, he quickly went into the other lane which was clear of traffic and went out of control. His truck crossed back over the road, went through the corner of my' yard and took out the power pole. After he was ejected from the truck, the truck kept going with no occupants onboard and finally stopped on it's own in another neighbor's yard. It was a good thing, because another 20 feet and it would have gone right into the closed lower garage of the neighbor's yard and I could not leave the gentleman until the Emergency personnel arrived.


Frank

 

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[rodarian]

Holy cow! Talk about exciting times and not in a good way. Sounds like they should build an ambulance garage next door to your place. I hope the guy is alright.

 

[huntsman53]

He seemed to be okay but I believe they transported him to the hospital just to make sure. He was complaining of hurting on his' left side and where his' arm got scruffed up and I bet that he will really feel the pain tomorrow. I got some pics but by the time I wrote the post and got back out there, they had already towed his' truck away. It was really mangled from the left front all the way back to the dually fender on the left side. The Electric Company pulled a Bucket Truck up to brace the power pole for tonight due to the snow which is expected to start soon. I doubt that they will get a new power pole up tomorrow and will probably have to wait until Friday or Saturday.


Frank

 

[SusanMN]

I hate when that happens. I had two accidents tear up my house and yard at my old place, which was on a busy road. And both were uninsured motorists so my homeowners insurance took the hit for repairs. Big nuisance to deal with and a bit of trauma too. In the first we had to hunt for a missing passenger, who it turned out had been thrown about thirty feet from the car, unconscious and busted up, but alive. In the second I had a drunk driver smash her car into the corner of my house. The car was smoking and I thought would go up, along with my house, any second. Fortunately the fire department was there quick because her gas had ruptured and we were both lucky it hadn't exploded.

Had I stayed there, I am sure there would have been a number three, but fortunately I sold the property a few years later and now live on a quiet, very low traffic street. I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

 

[Rodbuster209]

It makes me wonder if he was wearing his seatbelt, are seatbelts mandatory wear you live?

 

[huntsman53]

It makes me wonder if he was wearing his seatbelt, are seatbelts mandatory wear you live?

I don't think he was but I could be wrong! If the across the chest portion was anchored to the rear door, then it is possible that if the waist belt was ripped out of it's anchor, then he was pulled out by the belt when the doors were ripped open. If that was the case, then he is lucky he wasn't drug and ran over by his own truck. I don't know because I never made it down to get a closeup look at the truck.


Frank

 

[Msbeepbeep]

At lest no one died! And lucky it wasn't 4:30 am when you were asleep!

 

[huntsman53]

At lest no one died! And lucky it wasn't 4:30 am when you were asleep!

You got that right!


Frank

 

[dirtlooter]

it only takes a second

 

[DigIron2]

he is lucky to be alive looking at that pole,man,he must have been really moving.I Guess that was a big surprise hunts

 

[huntsman53]

Rodbuster209... Sorry that I did not really answer your question! Yes, seatbelts are mandantory in Tennessee.

DigIron2... Yes, he must have been moving pretty good and much more than the 35 MPH speed limit through this area! I would bet that the driver told the Police that he was going much slower than he actually was. As he approached my' property going West, a lady slowed her car well before my' driveway and the guy could not slow or stop, so he went around her in the Eastbound lane and went out of control. I believe that the squalling brakes were actually on her' car as it appeared that he never slowed before hitting the power pole. She probably braked to keep from hitting his' dually as it went around and crossed in front of her car.

I tried to draw the path of the truck (blue/green line) as best I could, noted where the driver (red arrow in the foreground) was laying when I found him and where the truck ended up stopping (orange box and red arrow in the background). I drew the path trying to center it on the truck's rear axle and I am sorry it is not perfect but it gives you an idea as to where the truck went. When it hit the power pole, it was knocked some 5 feet of more to the right.

While the 3 wrecks are the one's that occurred since I purchased the home in December of 1995, I suspect there were many more before we moved in! There is damage to the main bricks on the home on both front ends of the house that the previous owner covered over with brick flower bed encasements. We did not see any of this damage until many years later when heavy rains caused the brick flower bed encasements to sink and separate from the house due to not having concrete footers underneath them. The worst wreck that I am aware of, was 3 years ago when a couple hit the Maple tree on the East side of the front of my' yard doing well over 80 miles per hour. They hit it head-on and the impact turned the Honda Accord 90 degrees to the left before it landed. The guy driving was the boyfriend of the girl who owned the car (actually her mom and dad owned the car). He was hyped up on drugs, had a suspended driver's license and not really injured. The girl who was the passenger, was trapped for some time in the car until the Fire Department could extricate her and came out with a broken leg and shattered foot and ankle. Sadly, she was studying Dance at Carson-Newman College and the Doctors said will never dance ever again!

Sorry for the long post and the edited pic is below!


Frank

 

[Limitool]

I don't think he was but I could be wrong! If the across the chest portion was anchored to the rear door, then it is possible that if the waist belt was ripped out of it's anchor, then he was pulled out by the belt when the doors were ripped open. If that was the case, then he is lucky he wasn't drug and ran over by his own truck. I don't know because I never made it down to get a closeup look at the truck.


Frank

Hey Frank... Sounds like you had some drama there for a short period. I used to install those seatbelt anchors and it's very hard to rip them from the vehicle. I'm glad the guy appeared "ok" but I bet he wasn't the next day or the next...! We all know that drill... Brad

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Thank you for sharing the story! I am glad he was not seriously injured.