I witnessed a bad accident today...

[Kaleigh]

I am still a bit shakey. I saw a car leap over the parking lot, and hit a car broad side... As I saw the car leaching forward, I was like Nooooo. But whammo. Collision big time.

I was right behind the car that was hit. Call 911 immediately... But the car that lept out of the parking lot into the road was trying to make a run of it!!!

With their bumper hanging off...

I lept out of my car, and said oh no, you are not going anywhere... I said I have 911 on the phone now...

I went up to the car that was hit, she was really shaken. I said, I saw the whole thing, and will stay with you... Are you ok, do you need an ambulance??

When I was talking to her, her mom happened to call. She told her Mom that a witness was there, and her Mom could hear me. I said your daughter will be fine, we are waiting for the police...

911 was trying to figure which township to dispatch, we were borderline between 2 townships....

Again the guilty party wants to leave...

I said nope, you are staying put.

Again go back to the injured party.

Her husband came.

I said your wife is soooo lucky. I said one more inch one way or other, it would have been deadly.

I stayed with his wife till the cops came, and gave my statement as the only witness.

There were other witnesses, but the Frito lay delivery truck driver said , lady you have it inder control...

I gave my contact info to the husband.

And of course to the police.

I just got a call from the woman''s Mom. She called to say thank you, that her daughter felt it was as if her own Mom was there with her.

I said, oh that''s so sweet. We talked some more, 6 degrees of separation. Her daughter''s name is Lisa.

She went to my pirvate school, and now has a fourth grader there.

And the Mom is on the women''s board at Penn.

I was like well DD just graduated from Penn...

She said, we are connected forever.

Well I don''t know about that... But sure am happy her daughter will be ok.

And was glad I was of some comfort.

But am kicking myself...

There was a passenger in the car that hit Lisa. She dissapeared after a bit.

I couldn''t keep track of two cars at once..

I wonder why did the passenger leave?? Were they driving??

I made mental notes of her, I was trained to do that after being held up in jewelry stores.

Her handbag was in the shape of a fish... Ugliest looking handbag I have ever seen....

I tried telling the police this, but they weren''t too interested.

So am worrying, I may have let the driver get away?? I have no clue who was driving....

All I saw was too old ladies in a car.

I am glad Lisa will be ok, but this person who left... I wonder...

It''s creeping me out. I should have wrangled her as well., LOL!!!

 

[perry]

Good for you - you did the right thing.

Have a great day - and enjoy your new friendship.

Perry

 

[somethingshiny]

There are any number of reasons why the second lady left. Besides thinking of worst case situations, maybe she had to pick up a child from school, was running late for work, was just really peeved that the driver had almost killed her too. She shouldn''t have left either, but try not to think the worst case scenarios.

You reacted in the exact way I''d hope to in the same situation. Well done.

 

[princesss]

Kaleigh, you did what you could do, and you did it well. Don''t worry about that woman - focus on what you did. You helped comfort somebody that went through something horrible and you kept the person you believed was driving the car at the scene. That''s more than many people would do. So please don''t beat yourself up for not being able to wrangle her - you did really well.

 

[wsu12]

I am happy to know that people like you exist. What a terribly frightening time, you were the saving grace to the poor victim. God bless you.

 

[joflier]

What a situation!!! Good that no one was seriously hurt, though! Good for you for being the authority with them wanting to leave! Some people just have no sense of responsibility!

 

[drk]

How lucky for Lisa that you were there to look after and stick up for her. No wonder she and her mother were so grateful!

 

[Missy]

How scary Kaleigh! I am so glad no one was hurt!
Thank goodness you were there to comfort Lisa and help her through it!
And kudos to you for making sure the bad guy didn't get away. Great job!!

 

[mrssalvo]

gosh that is scary. I''m so glad you were there for the victim. driver though!!

 

[Kaleigh]

Thanks all

The woman who was trying to get away, was the one I stopped.. I was just freaking, what if???

I am just sketchy as to why the passenger left...

I will never know...

I am sure there will be more to come. If they call me as a witness whatever...

For my peace of mind, I will follow up tomorrow with the intake officer .

I like my I''s dotted and my T''s crossed. I am a freak that way.


I need some Nyquil, or something.....

Damn cold.

I am sneezing my head off, and my nose won''t stop running. I am a mess...

 

[BeachRunner]

I wish their were more good samaritans like you around, Kaleigh. I bet you made Lisa''s tragic experience so less stressful.

I hope you can relax tonight; fight off that cold!

 

[rierie26]

At least everyone was ok! I can''t believe you were able to keep such a cool head and notice a bunch of details. The other driver was lucky to have you there!

 

[Dancing Fire]

good for you Kaleigh

 

[Regular Guy]

Lisa,

You were a hero today. Good for you, and many thanks for being of assistance.

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 3/8/2010 11:05:30 PM
Author: BeachRunner
I wish their were more good samaritans like you around, Kaleigh. I bet you made Lisa''s tragic experience so less stressful.

I hope you can relax tonight; fight off that cold!

Beachrunner,
I did what any caring person would do. But thanks. I was kinda pissed more people didn''t come forward, when I saw them looking on plain as day....

That makes me so sad.

 

[bebe]

Whoa, what a day !!
Lisa, you are proof there are kind, compassionate people amongst us.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 3/8/2010 11:43:17 PM
Author: Regular Guy
Lisa,

You were a hero today. Good for you, and many thanks for being of assistance.

She was.!!!

 

[Catmom]

Oh Lisa, that must have been soooo scary. I''m so glad you were able to help her. You are a hero! We had a similar situation with my daughter not 3 weeks after she received her driver''s license. She was turning left when some idiot blew through a red light because he was too busy trying to light his cigarette. We were so lucky that a very kind gentleman witnessed the accident and stayed around to stick up for my daughter. I''m so thankful for anyone willing to do that!

 

[purselover]

Good for you for doing the right thing, I can''t believe others just left her, how scary! I''m glad everyone''s okay though.

 

[Karl_K]

you rock!!

get to feeling better!

 

[curlygirl]

Kaleigh, you are totally a hero! So many people would have just left that situation--they're too busy, don't want to get involved, etc. You did the right thing and should be proud of yourself, just like we're all proud of you!

 

[isaku5]

Date: 3/9/2010 9:57:25 AM
Author: curlygirl
Kaleigh, you are totally a hero! So many people would have just left that situation--they''re too busy, don''t want to get involved, etc. You did the right thing and should be proud of yourself, just like we''re all proud of you!

I ''second'' that!

Lisa, you are amazing! Comforting the lady that was hit, making sure the vehicle that hit her didn''t go AWOL before the police arrived, providing a statement to the police etc. etc. I''d like to think I would be as much in control as you were, but I''m not so sure.

 

[meresal]

Date: 3/8/2010 11:48:08 PM
Author: Kaleigh

Date: 3/8/2010 11:05:30 PM
Author: BeachRunner
I wish their were more good samaritans like you around, Kaleigh. I bet you made Lisa's tragic experience so less stressful.

I hope you can relax tonight; fight off that cold!

Beachrunner,
I did what any caring person would do. But thanks. I was kinda pissed more people didn't come forward, when I saw them looking on plain as day....

That makes me so sad.

Kaleigh... instead of replying in the other "random comment" thread, I thought this would be more appropriate.

Re: sticking around at the scene.

It just plain sucks that people won't stick around.

With that said... I was tangled in legal crap for over 2 years regarding the accident that I witnessed. It all started with having to stay at the scene for over an hour to talk to officer after officer.
Over then next 2 years, I had to meet with each set of lawyers at least twice, and had my deposition taken for two separate trials. After all that, I had to take the stand in front of the guy that ran the other car off the road. This is a guy that had serious priors re: anger and the inability to control it, and I feared that day for weeks. He had my name and would now know exactly what I looked like. He was more than likely going to prison, but I had no idea who he knew that could come after me.

He was convicted of both counts of manslaughter, but I still couldn't close my eyes for days, living in fear of what his friends would do, since I was the person that sent him away for 20 years.

It can turn into a very scary and stressful thing. It will never keep me from pulling over to be a witness in the future, because I saw the extent to what some defense lawyers will go to in order to just try and discredit any and all claims. But there are these crazy circumstances, where you aren't just pulling over to give a statement and be on your way. It can stick with you for a while, and I think this is something that people worry about when they "drive on by".

Ohh, and just for a bit of a spin on things, to prove WHY you should always tell everything you have seen... it isn't always going to just make sure the person at fault is taken care of... it will also keep the people not at fault from ridiculous lawsuits:

Re: The couple that was crushed in the accident. They were in Texas from Mexico visiting family. Well the family decided to file lawsuits against everyone involved. T
The guy that is in prison now (who caused the accident), didn't have more than a pot to pee in regarding insurance or funds, so that didn't last long. They tried to say the city was negligent by not having barrier rails thru the middle of the highway to stop cars from coming across... that didn't hold up. So the lawyer of the couple's family decided to go after the family of the kid that was run off the road and ended up landing on the couple. Surprise, surprise, his family had an umbrella policy for $1 mill.

 

[risingsun]

Be sure to take care of yourself, Lisa. Witnessing such an accident is traumatic. It''s good that you posted about it here. Talk about it as much as is needed. It will help

 

[Gailey]

Date: 3/9/2010 6:36:45 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 3/8/2010 11:43:17 PM
Author: Regular Guy
Lisa,

You were a hero today. Good for you, and many thanks for being of assistance.

She was.!!!

You did a good thing yesterday Lisa. Well done.

 

[Bliss]

Kaleigh, you were an angel that day. She's going to remember that for the rest of her life. And hopefully, the next time she sees someone in distress, she will remember what you did and jump to that person's aid. So you are changing the world, one person at a time. Thank you for being one of those people!!!

It must have been so scary for you, too. (hugs)

 

[Steel]

Date: 3/8/2010 11:05:30 PM
Author: BeachRunner
I wish their were more good samaritans like you around, Kaleigh. I bet you made Lisa's tragic experience so less stressful.

I hope you can relax tonight; fight off that cold!

Awh, great job.

I too wish more people would come forward as a witness. I know it is a pain at times but it is the right thing to do.

ETA: I meant to add, I am glad you were not hurt. One car behind; that could have been a close call.

 

[Kaleigh]

Thanks guys.

I am soooo sick with a bad head cold but read all the reponses, and would thank each and everyone of you, but my brain isn't up to it....

Ya know that clogged feeling?? My nose will not stop dripping, my eyes are watering, throat is killing.... I am a hot mess.


BUT wanted to say, it was my training at the High end jewelery store that I worked for that had me, go into action.

I was taught to notice all details. I am OCD on that anyway....

If this case goes to court, I am fine with that.

When were were robbed at Gunpoint at the Jewelry store, I instantly recognized the head guy because he cased us 2 days prior.


I ID'd the guy from photo's. After he hit us he went to the Main line and hit another jewelry store. Hijacked a car,that was being driven by a preggo, and threw her to the ground and sped off.

My family insisted I wear a wig... or some disquise..

I said nope.

I am going to tell what happened, and how horrific is was for all of us.

When questioned, I looked straight ahead. It's a very scary to be in court with people in handcuffs....

When he walked in, he looked straight at me...

He got time and then some...

BUT he escaped. I got a call from the FBI asking for MY help??

I was like are you kidding me?? You guys are supposed to be on top of this SH**.

I said if he escaped and held someone else up, well that's on you and the prison.

They asked me, Are you saying you won't cooperate??

I said damn straight.

I don't take your scare tactics lightly and here is my lawyers phone number.

You can speak to him.

Guess what?? They didn't call my lawyer, and were trying to intimidate me to give witness..

But what I saw wasn't relevant to the case at hand...?? That just boggled my mind and hello, it was years after what I saw... I had moved on...


If called upon with the accident, it's a no brainer, a slam dunk and am not worried in the slightest.

A boy just down the street was hit and almost killed, the woman left the scene, it made national news. Her Excuse?? I thought it was a deer?? Funny how she hid her car for weeks...

The driver of this car needs to be off the road, period.

 

[Cehrabehra]

((((Lisa)))) that woman was so lucky you were behind her

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 3/9/2010 8:05:09 AM
Author: Catmom
Oh Lisa, that must have been soooo scary. I'm so glad you were able to help her. You are a hero! We had a similar situation with my daughter not 3 weeks after she received her driver's license. She was turning left when some idiot blew through a red light because he was too busy trying to light his cigarette. We were so lucky that a very kind gentleman witnessed the accident and stayed around to stick up for my daughter. I'm so thankful for anyone willing to do that!

Oh Michelle, how scary... I am glad your daughter had a kind soul to stay with her...

I am finding out what I did isn't the norm?? I thought it is your civic duty to do so? But like I said the Frito Lay dude, he said I have to go, you have this covered... I said, I would really appreciate it if you would stay... To give your statement.

He said I called 911, you're good....

I was so floored by that... I said to him you saw this... He said gotta go...

I guess, some how deep down he'd do the right thing. He didn't.