... and there was nothing I could do about it.

Went up to Gainesville, GA to help a buddy pull the motor out of his Nissan S13 (he's gonna put in an LS1). We're standing out in his front yard, looking in the engine bay deciding how we're gonna pull the motor and we hear a loud bang. It literally sounded like the gas station exploded.

I'm gonna keep the story short and put very few details because I have no idea how I'm gonna sleep tonight. A 63 year old man was going down the highway probably about 65 - 70 mph. There's a random stoplight on said highway. From the lack of skid-marks in a non-ABS vehicle, the man either never saw the dump truck in front of him stopped at a red-light or his brakes decided to stop working. Man in 1996 Sierra hit said dump-truck/ steel wall traveling at a mile a minute. The motor went THROUGH the firewall and the 63 year old man took a small block Chevy to the face.

It took four people to pry open the passenger side door and by the time that happened the driver of the Sierra was already dead. Traffic was stopped for 2 hours while they tried to pull the driver of the Sierra out of the vehicle. The life-flight helicopter did arrive within 15 minutes of the accident (60+ miles) and there were 3 ambulances, and HAZMAT truck, a firetruck, and 8 police officers there within 10 minutes.

I'm not gonna describe what the man looked like after the accident out of respect and my own well-being, but imagine the worst possible thing that you can... then multiply by 10.

Always, always, always check your equipment and pay attention while your driving. Otherwise you'll end up with a 500 pound motor in your chest.


News article:

http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/news/article/7101/

Pictures from the scene:

 

Word.

I still toss and turn sometimes.

 

ya ive seen some bad pictures of wrecks from some cops. sucks

 

that's not cool at all....

 

i have seen it before.
no skidd marks, bright break lights on the truck that was hit.
always told that he died on impact only to find out later, he was already dead
from a heart attack before he hit the truck in front of him.
all i can say is that it happens.

 

Call me fucked up, but I'm actually curious to see something like this in real life(for my own good). The internet has desensitized me so much that nothing ever fazes me anymore. It's kind of sad really.

 

get a job as a wreacker driver.
i have seen burned bodys.
headless bodys.
bodys cut in half.
i have listen to screams from a burning car.
my wife has a hard time trying to undrestand why some nights i cannot fall asleep.

 

I came upon a wreck going to Stillwater one time where a man paralyzed from the waist down tried to pass into oncoming traffic on a two lane highway. He swerved into the ditch at about 70mph and his van hit a telephone pole and flipped upside down and instantly caught fire. Hearing screams and being able to do nothing is a terrible feeling. Seeing stuff on the internet and in real life are two different things. I still get goosebumps when I pass that spot and I've passed it about 200 times since then.

 

I saw a coworker get crushed by 25,000lbs of steel coils a few months back. Severed both his legs and had him trapped from the waist down for an hour while fire rescue got him out. He lived but I will never forget it! Seing it happen in front of you and seing it on TV or internet are totally different. I feel you on not sleeping. I had nightmares for a few days after.

 

That's why I was kind of happy... well, happy sure as **** ain't the word for it. But, I was there. I saw it first hand. I can't sleep and I'm still shaking a little bit.

RIP Harry Lamar Dodson.