The Near-Death Car Experience
August 28, 2004
On August 28, 2004, the wife, son, and I were returning from a trip to Houston.
We hit a patch of traffic, and were in the left lane behind a truck who was
also passing slower traffic. At 10:29pm, the truck swerved out of the left lane
leaving us staring into headlights. We were heading northbound on I-45, and a
guy named Ronnie Williams, age 40, was heading southbound at freeway speeds in
our lane. I managed to swerve left onto the shoulder, although we were struck
on the right rear part of the car. We suffered some minor cuts and scrapes, but
otherwise okay. The people in the two cars behind us didn't fair so well. The
driver stopped breathing right as EMS arrived on the scene, and died on the way
to the hospital. Others were taken via helicopter from the scene (they had
closed down the freeway, the helicopters landed right on the highway) to area
hospitals. At one point my wife remembered I had my digital camera, so below
are some pictures and a few short video clips. None of the pictures show any
victims clearly, and I have none of the man who died, which is probably a good
thing.
KTRK Coverage
HCN Coverage
|
|
The right rear side of the rental car.
|
|
More of the rear of the car. The trunk was open so I could get the camera out.
|
|
The view from the back of our car from where Williams plowed into traffic, causing much more damage.
|
|
Blurry picture of a guy on a stretcher removed from the car that was struck after us.
|
|
Another blurry picture of the man on the stretcher.
|
|
Yet another blurry picture.
|
|
Yet another blurry picture.
|
|
Finally, a clear picture with no flash. It's dark, but you get the idea.
|
|
Heavy Rescue guys cutting someone out of a car.
|
|
Another blurry shot.
|
|
Another blurry shot.
|
|
Another blurry shot.
|
|
The back of Williams' car.
|
|
Heavy Rescue getting someone out of their car.
|
|
More of Heavy Rescue.
|
|
The two Heavy Rescue trucks. They've finished removing someone pinned in the
first car, note the roof propped up against the front of the car.
|
|
A better shot of the green car.
|
|
Side shot of the green car. Amazing the people were alive after a head-on
collision.
|
|
Williams' car next to the Matrix.
|
|
Another shot of Williams' car. Note his shoe sitting in the floorboard. Creepy.
|
|
The final car hit, the gray Matrix.
|
|
Another shot of the first car that was hit after us.
|
carwreck1.mpg
(8.5 MB, 47 sec)
|
The car, the lights of the first helicopter that landed, and the main crash
site behind us. Adam Shostack
claims you can see bigfoot in the beginning of this clip, although I don't
recall any 8ft tall hairy creatures near the accident. You be the judge.
|
carwreck2.mpg
(7.5 MB, 41 sec)
|
The second helicopter landing, behind the cops looking at our car. Pity it isn't
more clear, since it was pretty bizarre seeing a helicopter land on the freeway.
|
carwreck3.mpg
(5 MB, 28 sec)
|
EMS and the helicopter, plus the crash scene.
|
carwreck4.mpg
(6 MB, 33 sec)
|
Second helicopter leaving with victims for hospital. This one is interesting
since you see the helicopter lift off, and then fly over the crash scene. The
audio in the background has Kim talking to one of the many people who stopped
to help.
|
carwreck5.mpg
(6.2 MB, 34 sec)
|
Shot of the full moon over the wreck.
|
|
|
