Hit by drunk driver on way home

[toolbetty]

This year on the drive back from Burning Man to Portland Oregon, my friends and I had a very unfortunate encounter with a drunk driver, the assailant as we like to call him. On Monday night, around 9:30 pm we were driving north on CR-1 about four miles away from Cedarville. There were nine of us all together: Peter, Morgan and Dave in the front car, my boyfriend Thadeus and I in the center, and Rachel, Tas, Matt and Colin in the car behind.

I didn't see the oncoming truck, but my world exploded in one second when it hit us. Glass shattered all around us as the cab crushed in and we were sent spinning and tumbling over. When everything stopped we were hanging upside down in the dark. I looked over at Thadeus and thought he had died, as he was covered in blood and was not moving. Moments later he came to and started moaning and chocking. I knew I had to get him out. I fumbled for my seatbelt and fell to the roof. To my right was a small square of light, and I crawled out of the tiny opening that used to be the window. My friends, who had come running to us, helped pull me out the rest of the way. I stared yelling for scissors or a knife to cut Thadeus out.... everyone thought I was hysterical until they realized he was trapped.

When we were hit our belongings were scattered, creating hundreds of feet of yard sale in every direction. Fortunately, a toolbox had landed near the truck. Colin found a knife in the box and Tas and Peter cut Thadeus's seat belt and lowered him down. He was able to squeeze out and they helped him to a safe place to rest.

During this time other burners had gotten out of their vehicles and had called 911. They were helping to take care of us, making sure traffic stopped and were clearing the road of debris. I sat there dazed as our friends cared for us, and I learned that we had been hit by a drunk driver, who was probably traveling around 70 mph. He hit our front left side and continued down the side of the truck and smashing into our trailer. He careened off of us, missed our friends’ car behind us, and then proceeded to hit the car behind them. A tire from our truck or trailer flew off and hit our friend's windshield, busting the glass and causing them to swerve to a stop, narrowly missing us. It was miraculous that we weren't all killed.

The EMT's arrived about ten or fifteen minutes after the accident, followed by the volunteer firemen and ambulances... it seemed like the whole town of Cedarville had woken up to help us. Thadeus and I were strapped to stretchers and taken to the local hospital, where we received great care. Thadeus had to be life flighted to Mercy Hospital in Redding, because the small Cedarville hospital did not have the equipment to perform MRIs on his head and broken bones. I had amazingly few injuries, mostly cuts on my legs from crawling through glass getting out of the truck. Our friends had whiplash, bruises and cuts but were okay as well. Leslie, the woman driving the car behind them had similar minor injuries.

But what made a horrible situation bearable was the amazing people of Cedarville and our fellow Burners. One woman at the hospital made us all ham and cheese sandwiches with apple juice. Another nurse offered us a place to stay, and yet another gave us toothbrushes and toothpaste since we had none of our belongings. Back at the accident site burners and the emergency crew were picking up our things and taking them to the fire department for us. The hospital helped arrange a room for the remaining eight of us at the Drew Hotel, where they helped us by letting us stay two nights in a large room for only $50. In the morning two burners, who also started a gas fund for us at the hotel, which raised $90, treated us to breakfast. Then, a local rancher lent us his pickup so that we could dispose of our ruined belongings, which he brought to the dump for us. Our gratitude to these strangers turned friends cannot be measured.

We are all home now. Thadeus spent three nights in the hospital in Redding, with myself and his parents by his side. Our friends rented a U-haul to bring what was not destroyed home. Thadeus is slowly healing, with the help of all our friends and a lot of movies. He fared the worst of all, with a broken left ankle (which had to have two screws put in it), a fractured hip and a bruised and torn spleen (which will heal on their own over the next six weeks), bruised or broken ribs, and multiple cuts, bruises and puncture wounds, mostly on his left side. It will take a long time for him to heal and he will need physical therapy later on. I myself have bad back pain but am glad to be alive.

As horrendous as the accident was, it could have been a lot worse. People could have lost their lives. I have never been a very religious or spiritual person, but my mother took her own life six weeks ago, and I feel that maybe she was there to save us... you just never know.

The drunk driver?... he was arrested when the cops arrived, but was released for medical treatment. From what we hear he was released to go home the next day. We have very little information, since the police and the hospital cannot tell us anything legally. I'd like to think that he will be punished. I'd like to think that they take away his license. I'd even like to think that he will be put in jail. Because next time someone might die, and that would be a great tragedy. We were told that a few months ago he ran off the road with three horses in his trailer, killing them all. He received a DUI and was free to drive again. Hopefully the law will see this as a bit more serious and get him off the road. The kind people in the town of Cedarville deserve to be protected and so do we.

So, next year on your way home from Burning Man, make sure you are well rested and sober... and watch out for rabbits and drunks.

Thank you for letting me tell my story, sorry for it's length. I'd love for as many people as possible to know about it, maybe it will help prevent someone from getting into their own car while intoxicated.

-Crystal

[DM]

Crazy story.
Glad to hear you guys are all ok.
That guy will surely get something - Jail, Suspended License...he has to.

The only thing is....you cant really look out for drunks. Most of the time, like in your case, they find you first.

[geekster]

So, next year on your way home from Burning Man, make sure you are well rested and sober... and watch out for rabbits and drunks.

And maybe drop a little of your hard-earned in Cedarville on your way through as an anonymous gift for their hospitality and kindness.

Nice to hear that everyone made it through okay. So sorry to hear about your Mom. May life bring you abundant love.

[geekster]

http://gwally.com/directions/000010.php

[Sensei]

...And maybe drop a little of your hard-earned in Cedarville on your way through as an anonymous gift for their hospitality and kindness.

I hear that! I always try to stop just 'cause I like the feel of the place; I bought a great cowboy hat there this year. I can't believe it's not in Montana.

Nice post, toolbetty. I sincerely hope that you and all your campmates (expecially Thadeus) recover fully, and soon. We need you guys.

And Crystal, we also need this kind of reminder, now and then. Thanks again.

[Sandwichman]

Toobetty,

I was there stopped and I am glad to hear all of you made it out with your lives. It was a real crash landing back into the default world. I hope that the recoveries are very speedy. The police and fire department helping at the accident scene were wonderful and kind people. I hope to meet you all in the future. I hope we found all your possesions and that you got them all returned to you.

Jason

[grape ape]

Very glad everyone made it through ok. I had posted this to the vancouver site when we got back:

We came into Cedarville Monday night and pulled over after seeing a sign saying "Burners Welcome" covered in blinky lights just at the edge of town. We saw a huge a line of burners waiting to get pizza so we crossed the street to the grocery store and ordered a beef bun from a local lady and her son who had set up a bbq outside the store. Within minutes there were endless emergency vehicles going through town heading where we had just come from. I realized there had been no cars come from that way since we pulled over. The festive feeling in town quickly felt quiet and sad. I can't explain how many people were staring down the road not saying anything. I can't explain the feeling in the air. Rumors from local folk started, saying there was a four car accident involving a deer. We got a room a the Drew Hotel from a wonderful lady and slept and showered twice. I woke in the morning, went out for a smoke and talked with the hotel lady. I asked her if she heard anything more about the accident and she pointed to a couple guys and said they were in it. I asked them if everyone was ok and they said yes. I asked them if they needed anything....food.....and one said the hotel lady had put them up in her apartment and most everyone had given them whatever they needed. A fund had been started to collect money for them, overnight. He said something along the lines of "This has been one of the most traumatic events I have ever been and also one of the best". The outpouring of help from that town and the burning folk will never be forgotten by me or them.

*sniff

Grape Ape