Wife almost killed! Damn DUIs to Hell!

[Titan]

I left the house about 3 this afternoon on the Valk and my wife followed me in her car. I was going to take a little ride around town and she was going shopping. She wanted to stop and get a milkshake and I was going to meet up with her.

About a mile from our house is a 4 way stop intersection. We stopped at the sign. I pulled off and went straight ahead. Just after I cleared the intersection I heard a really loud noise, the likes of which I've never heard. It scared me so bad I almost ran the Valk off the road and I thought the bike had blown up or something and thought I was going to die! I stopped and found nothing wrong. Looked back over my shoulder and saw the wife's car was stopped but headed down the side street the wrong way. I turned and went back to find that a mini van had come through from her left and hit her car on the driver's side front wheel area. Front wheel was ripped out and the car was a mess. I immediately saw that she was sitting upright, had the car door opened and appeared to be in pretty good shape. Her head banged hard on the driver's side window and made a good sized knot over her left eye. They took her to the ER in an ambulance... doctor said she's ok and we're home.

Turns out the driver of the mini-van, an illegal alien, was drunk. He never even hit the brakes as he went through the stop sign. I estimate the van was doing around 50 mph at impact. He was carted off by the State Trooper and locked up, charged with DUI with personal injury. Neither he nor his passenger suffered any injuries hanks to air bags in their van. The passenger obviously did not have on a seat belt because the windshield on his side received serious damage.

You know... we always "IF" things a million ways when something happens. If I had not cleared the intersection on the Valk... if she had been 5 feet further... Neither case would likely have been survivable.

And something really weird... after I saw the post here this morning about the Valk rider getting killed in Canada, I almost decided not to ride today. IF IF IF...

[GreenLantern57]

Be careful of the IF's,  my wife uses them to try and sway me to her side of things. Especially the what-if's. Thank God you and your wife are still with us.  BUT, I also see your right to vent, I am sure you were shaking still while writing this!

[Daniel Meyer]

Hope she's fine and heals up quick. Keep a close eye on her...head whacks are nothing to take lightly.

[JimC]

Titan,
Glad she is going to be OK.

I had an acquaintance (brother-in-law of a good friend) that was killed by a drunk illegal alien several years ago. The drunk was bailed out of jail and never showed up for court. He decided to go back to Mexico instead.

I have no use for drunk drivers, or illegal aliens.

Jim

[croaker]

Really, really glad she's ok!  And that you made it thru the intersection when you did.   

[Titan]

Within the last month or so I remember reading a post from one of you guys on here that you had lost a family member to a wreck with a drunk driver. I can't find that post now. Was it Hoser? When I read it I wondered, as I have thousands of times, how you can possibly deal with such a loss.

It's bad to lose a loved one by any means at all but I've always thought it would be somehow worse if it was from something as stupid as some jerk getting drunk and driving.

I think my brain reverted back into police mode at the scene today because, after checking on my wife, I calmly checked on the 2 occupants of the offending vehicle. That was really weird when I thought about it later and I was pretty miffed at myself for being nice to them. But you can bet that I'll be in court to testify at his DUI trial. That is, of course, if he's not back in Mexico by then!

[RiderNJ]

Glad he didn't hit you and the impact to your wife's vehicle wasn't direct into her door.  Even so,  make sure to take care of any bumps, bruises and aches as a result of the accident.  
My own experience from a nasty car accident when I was hit from behind sitting at a light  20 yrs ago has left me with neck pain/ discomfort I have to live with daily.  Then, more recently,  I was hit in driver door (thankfully at an angle),  nearly flipped my truck.  I was so much more concerned about my 17yo son in passenger seat (who was fine),  that it wasn't til much later my head and left shoulder began to hurt.  I thought I'd just "shake it off",  but I still live with the effects in my shoulder.    
Take good care of her.
RiderNJ

[Moonshine]

Sorry to hear that. Just thank Jesus he or his angels were with y'all. Glad they got the bums!!!!!!!!!!!!

Prayers to y'all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Psychotic Bovine]

Glad she is ok!

[R J]

Hope she's fine and heals up quick. Keep a close eye on her...head whacks are nothing to take lightly.

10-04 on the head whack.

Wife's car got totaled the end of July.  Same scenario, except this one wasn't Drunk...  Hit left front wheel and the door post, of course, her head hit the window, hard enough to break the skin.

She is still complaining about headaches to date.  So, of course we have not settled with the Ins on the medical portion.    Probably won't until next July.    Dr said take a year to see what happens, so, we are.  Adjuster is getting pushy, Friday, I told her, leave your name, phone #, and case # on my answering machine.    I'll call ya when ready to settle.    We got a new vehicle, they paid that, so what is the hurry.

Yeah..............

[f6john]

     Glad everyone survived. It's impossible to calculate how many "near miss's" we encounter everyday and we don't even realize they occurred. Every day is a gift, I wish I could remember that fact everyday as I pass through this old world.

[czuch]

Man I'm glad she's OK and you were already through.
No mercy or compassion for drunk drivers at all. NONE.
Damn little for illegal aliens either.
Combine the two,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[croaker]

     Glad everyone survived. It's impossible to calculate how many "near miss's" we encounter everyday and we don't even realize they occurred. Every day is a gift, I wish I could remember that fact everyday as I pass through this old world.

Well said.

[croaker]

Within the last month or so I remember reading a post from one of you guys on here that you had lost a family member to a wreck with a drunk driver. I can't find that post now. Was it Hoser? When I read it I wondered, as I have thousands of times, how you can possibly deal with such a loss.

It's bad to lose a loved one by any means at all but I've always thought it would be somehow worse if it was from something as stupid as some jerk getting drunk and driving.

I think my brain reverted back into police mode at the scene today because, after checking on my wife, I calmly checked on the 2 occupants of the offending vehicle. That was really weird when I thought about it later and I was pretty miffed at myself for being nice to them. But you can bet that I'll be in court to testify at his DUI trial. That is, of course, if he's not back in Mexico by then!

I know you have much to think about now, but I've heard of two similar cases where an illegal immigrant was responsible for a the accidents, but never got deported.  They should be arrested at the scene and then turned over to the Feds to be held during court proceedings and deportation, but that doesn't happen unless the victim or victim's family raises hell immediately.  May be too late in this case, but consider pressing the authorities on the matter.

[highcountry]

Wow, close call!  I am glad that your wife is OK. 
 

[Titan]

Many thanks to everyone for all the well wishes! I've passed them all on to Cyndy and she really appreciates it. The only update is that she's absolutely ok. Still has a knot and slight bruising over her left eye, a slightly sore left knee and shoulder, all from banging against the door and window.

But she says the soreness from a tetanus shot actually hurts worse than the other stuff.

She was very lucky and is doing great.

Haven't gotten any word yet on the total damge to the car but I fully expect it will be totaled.

Many thanks again to all you folks!

[GreenLantern57]

Glad she is feeing better. Keep her honest and don't discount any new twinges.