My family and I used to love going to Virginia Beach for our yearly vacations. We've since picked a new destination point. Our accident will forever live in our minds. It was such a horrific thing that the police had to close all of the on-ramps to east bound traffic. Didn't make any of the other motorists pleased since it created a bottle neck that stretched ten exits. Traffic was slowed on two major highways.
We were sitting in our car driving down the interstate doing the speed limit in the slow lane. I supposed this didn't sit well with the driver who decided to fly past us. I saw him in the rear view mirror swerving between cars, speeding past and slipping in.
We were no different. He sped up behind us, got into the passing lane then continued to step on the gas until he was clear of us, or what he considered to be clear as he cut in front of us. He wasn't far enough in front and clipped our fender causing me to lose momentary control.
It must have threw him off too as he swerved and jerked the car until eventually hitting another car, spinning sideways into another and eventually, despite doing my best to maintain distance and avoidance, we hit him. There was so much commotion. My children were screaming and sobbing while the wife was trying to keep them calm while remaining calm herself.
It was a weird tango involving cars. The first car struck, a Lumina, burst into flames. With the vehicles stopped we rushed from our cars. I made sure my family was safe before trying to help the other driver.
The fire was too hot and his door was jammed. There wasn't anything I could do as he screamed and eventually slumped over succumbing to the heat and dieing, as I later learned, from smoke inhalation.
The person who was responsible for the accident turned out to be driving without a license. He had no injuries to speak of and walked away from his car unharmed. The second motorist, whom he hit, had some minor injuries. Nothing too serious really, things like cuts and bruises. My injuries and my families were more emotional than anything else.
The man that was killed was headed to dinner to see his daughter and her new fiancé. The other motorist is a teacher for special needs children. Her job requires her to drive and the injury she got to her leg cost her the ability to do her job for some time.
The man who committed the accident was an illegal immigrant from Mexico. Nothing happened to him except being deported back home. They gave him fines, sure but no method to make him pay for anything. He was never arrested, just retained until the INS could pick him up.
My heart goes out to the decedent's family. I just know that my family won't go to Virginia Beach for vacations any longer.
 |
Subscribe to this comment's feed