marc and michelle

I-15

Yesterday, Jackson and I were coming home from a play date with Sarah and Jen. We were driving along I-15, between the 800 N. freeway entrance and the Lindon Exit, when traffic began slowing. I started pushing on my brakes and suddenly I heard the sound of screeching tires and the crunching of two cars hitting.

Inside I thought, oh good, I wasn't in the accident, but as quick as that thought came a car slid into the drivers side, of the car, and hit us. I could see shattering glass everywhere and thought my window had been broken, but later realized it was the other car's windshield that had been shattered and sprayed across us.

I looked in my side mirror to see the white car that had hit us spinning and knocking into a blue trail blazer that was now also spinning. Traffic was at a complete stand still with all of us scattered across the three lanes of traffic.

I looked at Jackson and realized he was alright and then just started crying. I knew that we were blessed and nothing was wrong with either of us, but adrenaline kicked in and I just began crying. Jackson has always been really tuned into my emotions and as soon as I started crying so did he. He was reaching for me and I knew he wanted out of his carseat.

I don't know if anyone else has felt this before, but there is a strange silence and stillness that follows a car accident. It seemed as though Jackson's crying was muffled. Anyway, I didn't know what to do. I sat there and pulled myself together and then decided I had better get my car out of the middle of the freeway. I drove slowly into the carpool lane.

Then got out of the car and pulled Jackson (now screaming) out of his carseat. Traffic wasn't coming through and police officers were on the scene in seconds. A police officer ran up to me and told me to get back in the car, just to be safe. The white car was crunched and torned apart. The man in the white car was bleeding everywhere. And I didn't feel like there was any movement in the blue TrailBlazer.

The officer helped me move my car across the freeway the the emergency lane. Luckily everyone was fine. The man in the white car was taken to the hospital in an abulance, but treated for minor stitches and perhaps a broken arm. The man in the blue TrailBlazer was fine, minor bumps and cuts, but nothing serious.

They towed both the other cars away, but my car was okay. It needed a new tire and the police officer and another man helped me put the spare tire on. The car is really banged up on the drivers side and my dad took it in to be repaired today, but we are alright.

Once Jackson calmed down, he was scared to have me put him down, but everytime the police officer would come our direction, Jackson would cover his mouth and nose (with his hands) and start laughing and trying to hide his head. It was hilarious. I have NO IDEA what he was thinking, but it gave a little comic relief to the whole situation and everyone around us.

While my tire was being fixed, I asked the police officer what had happened. He told me he had been parked on the right hand side of the freeway and saw the whole thing happen and it was caught on his camera. Crazy huh?! So here's was happened. Traffic was slowing, but the man in the blue Trail Blazer was following way too close to the white car and when he pushed on his brakes, the Trail Blazer slammed into him. The way the cars hit, sent the white car flying (literally) through the air and it then slammed into the side of my car.

Both the other men are lucky to be alive and he said, if they hadn't had their seatbelts on they probably wouldn't be. I myself am glad we were hit where we were, because nothing happened to us. Sure we are out a car for a little bit, but wow, we are alright--a little stiff this morning, but nothing to complain about.

I wish I had a picture of our car, but forgot to take one before it was taken to be fixed this morning, so sorry. Well, this is definitely one of those times that you count your blessings and give thanks for being safe.