Crash Anniversary (short version)

This is details only from the crash. There is more story surrounding that, but will have to get to that later. Stay tuned for an update to this story.

Short version:
5 years ago today, I was leaving a friend’s house in Oviedo around 6:00 in the morning to return to my place in Maitland. Because of Hurricane Charlie, the tolls had been eliminated for a while, and though I’d taken the toll roads to get across town initially, I’d heard on the radio that they’d be turned back on at 6:00 am, Monday morning. So I decided to take the city streets home. I drove down University, to Hall, to the intersection at Aloma…

Also because of Charlie, almost every single stop light was out all over town. TV reporters and even radio hosts made a big point though, of reminding us to treat every single intersection with a light out as though there were 4 way stops. So I did.

Coming up to Aloma on Hall/ Howell Branch, I was in the left lane, and a truck was in the right lane next to me. We both stopped at the intersection, and proceeded through. These next events took maybe about 10-15 seconds total, but everything was so CLEAR as it happened- it’s like it was in slow motion.

So Truck and I are proceeding through the intersection, when I HEAR truck slam on his brakes. I turned to see why, and saw an SUV barreling down Aloma, now coming through the intersection without stopping or slowing at all, and we crashed. A perfect T-bone.

(Here’s where REAL slow motion kicks in) My airbags deployed, punched me in the face, and burned my forearms. There was powder or steam or something, and I couldn’t see for a bit. I thought to myself, “Am I dead? Am I alright?” Then I turned my head to the left, and to my horror, saw the SUV tumbling down the road, rolling over 2 more full times before it came to a stop on the driver’s side.

I kept enough sense in me to grab my cell phone, dial 911, and then I just lost it. I couldn’t figure out how to get out of my car. Not that I was stuck, but I was so panicked I couldn’t get the seat belt off or the door open. When I finally tumbled out onto the street, it did dawn on me that I was able to stand and scream, so I did just that for a bit, while the lady at the 911 center told me to “calm down, or I can’t help you”. She asked me if the other driver was alright, and I realized I hadn’t seen the other driver yet. There was no movement from the other car. And I freaked out again, and refused to go look, afraid of what I might find inside.

Mr. Truck Guy saw everything, and stayed with me till police came. He went to check on the other person and he gave a statement to the police about what happened. I wish I knew who that was…

I walked away from this. I shouldn't have. The front of my care was accordioned. But instead of breaking through the foot well on the driver's side, it cracked the passenger's side, and things that needed to displace did so downward. I walked away with burns on my arms and my face, and a sore neck.