Ga. flying car crash: ‘I can’t believe that actually happened’
VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) - We’re learning more about a wild car crash in Lowndes County, where a car drove up a tow truck ramp at full speed before going airborne and flipping to the ground.
“It was unbelievable. I can’t believe that actually happened,” said Georgia State Patrol Sgt. Raul Mejia. “You see it in movies all the time, but never did I ever think it would actually happen in real life. I’ve talked to many troopers and they’ve never experienced anything like it. It’s one of the first of its kind for sure.”
The woman who was driving the vehicle on Highway 84 is a 21-year-old from Tallahassee. She’s still in the hospital in critical condition.
According to the incident report from the crash, the tow truck did have emergency lights on. That means it’s considered an emergency vehicle, so the Move Over Law would apply to other drivers on the road.
A reporter asked if law enforcement vehicles or personnel should have been on that side of the highway to help.
“Usually yeah, we have other deputies there that could help out and assist depending on what they have going on. They’ll try to monitor and park their vehicle in certain places to monitor traffic,” Mejia said. “That vehicle is an emergency vehicle, and it had flashing lights on. So that should have definitely been a sign to slow down and move over.”
Georgia’s Move Over Law requires drivers to move over one lane or slow down when an emergency vehicle with flashing lights is parked on the side of the highway.
“It’s very important to always pay attention to your surroundings and not just look right in front of your vehicle, but look beyond your vehicle, what’s coming up way ahead and be prepared to move over, slow down, and monitor the traffic around you,” Mejia said. “This was very dangerous, and that’s why the Move Over Law is so important in the state of Georgia.”
The Georgia State Patrol says other cars were indeed moving over around the tow truck. Troopers plan to speak with the driver who crashed as soon as her condition improves.
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