Warning: this happened today right on our street

[yellow-scorpion]

Warning: This accident that happened today is very graphic. Please read only if you can stomach how quick your life can end.


I live in Antelope CA, Today around 2:30pm my wife and I heard 3 cars collide with each other. I ran out of my house (with no shoes) up the street to find traffic had stopped and seen that an older style Honda civic was literally cut in half. I ran up to the driver who was still buckled up and laying on his back with a steady amount of blood coming from the back of his head. He lived long enough to pick up his head, looked around, said something in Russian and lay ed his head back down and died. Up the street about 50 feet lay ed the passenger, a twisted body that no longer looked human. He died instantly. About 200 feet past him was the back end of the civic that had been mangled up and had fallen on a minivan that was parked at the apartments behind my home. 50 feet past the rear of the mangled car was the rear passenger who died instantly. As I made my way back to the front of the car a pedestrian was yelling that he had seen the whole thing. Apparently, the white Honda civic was cutting in and out of traffic with three occupants, he lost control and swerved sideways into the on coming traffic where it was cut in half by the red elanta who then clipped a white minivan and struck another car. The occupants of the elantra survived. By the time he was done telling me what he had just seen I was able to hear the sirens coming. I had just witnessed a person die in front of me and had seen what people look like dead. The three Russian kids died.
They probably thought as we all do that our cars are made of some indestructible material and that it would never happen to them. This experience has changed me. I want to spend as much time with my son and my two daughters as I can. I will always wear my seat belt and my kids will always wear theirs.
3 lived ended not even 100 feet from my house. Its x-mas, this isn't supposed to be happening. Today is Thursday and if you go to kcra.com you can see the accident. Those of you who know me can see how close my house was. To all those who drive like you have nothing to live for, think of the lives you put in danger. What would be your last word as a driver who killed your friends.........:frown:


This x-mas, hug the ones closest to you a little tighter and say those things that you won't regret not saying.

Ray

 

[tjobeid]

Im more scared of other drivers then i am from me driving , every time im on an intersection there is always that one guy that comes out of nowhere and run a red light even when another one just turned green. Those are the people that think they are invincible when your body is only made out of flesh and bones.
This must have been painful to see . :frown:

 

[exNSXer]

What a tragic way to begin the holidays for the family members of the deceased. Hopefully, this incident will serve as an example to other would be reckless drivers to think twice before endangering the lives of everyone around them. :frown:

 

[steveny]

What a tragic way to begin the holidays for the family members of the deceased. Hopefully, this incident will serve as an example to other would be reckless drivers to think twice before endangering the lives of everyone around them. :frown:

Sometime one's only purpose in life is to set an example for others on what not to do.

I have seen several horrible fatal crashes. They change the way you look at things for sure.

I bet after a investigation they will find that the Honda had previous body repair. Seems almost impossible for a car to break in half doing just 70mph.

 

[Big_D]

That sucks...what a tragic story.:frown:

 

[Synthesis]

this is why i want to put a roll cage and racing seats/harnesses in all my cars :frown:

 

[ChopsJazz]

I absolutely hate the way kids drive out there, especially around the NSX. Be safe everyone, and save the racing for the track.

 

[Paul91]

I've seen my share of carnage, as well. None of it's good.

I now make it a policy to look both ways when stopped at a stop light that has just turned green (being first in line, that is). About 2 years ago, I rolled away from the light, was 3/4 through the intersection, when a car blew behind me! The guy blew the light so bad that I missed being t-boned just from getting lucky. I was in my Audi S4 at the time with 3 passengers. That was a close call. Always look both ways...even when it's a light.

 

[Big_D]

^^^^ Good advise. You never know if someone is distracted and didn't see the light change...especially now with cell phones.

Also here in Cali, there are a lot of police pursuits and I almost got T-boned from some punk klid running from the police.

Keep your eyes peeled at all times.

 

[yellow-scorpion]

many times before this,,,I would go on you tube and watch car accidents cought on camera and try to pin point were the driver made the fatal mistake. I would watch the worlds wildest police chases and be amazed at how graffic the collisions were and how people would just be thrown out of a car. I have to tell you that seeing first hand someone die is not like you see on tv. Theirs no crying, no yelling, no screaming. Just a word is spoken then complete silence, and a sense of being at peace. The news came on last night and it turns out these were just kids on x-mas vacation. Not very many people came out of their cars to help. It was mostly the construction workers working on the apartments behind my home that came. Most of the people that came out of the apartments had camera's and were taking pictures well before the first fire truck came on the scene. My wife was the first person to call 911 and was making her way to the driver as I was checking on the rear of the car that had landed on a van. After all this that happened,,,,,today I see on nsx prime a thread about street racing....What irony. Very sad.
Ray

 

[steveny]

I didn't have a lot of time to expand on this yesterday but believe me I know exactly how you feel.

I have personally witness several fatal accident most of which have occurred right at the bottom of my driveway. I live on a pretty busy road but I live pretty far off the road. Often time I don't know about the accident until after it has happened but I have seen a few occur. The worst had to be a young Cornell grad student who was 23 on his bicycle and hit by a guy who was doing 80 in a Ford Taurs. I can still see all the details as sharp as if they happened 5 minutes ago. It's funny how it sticks in someones mind. I wish I had the ability to remember the details of situation that are not as horrific. The guy who hit the young man, and killed him, was 82 years old and lives up the road from me. He is still driving the same car. Every time I see him I get flashbacks.

The worst accident by far that I witnessed was over by Watkins Glen almost 20 years ago now. I was coming back from a friends house who also owns a large scrap yard of 60's-70's muscle cars. I was getting a front clip for a Camero I was restoring. There was a lady in front of me in a mini van. She swerved over into the on coming lane and Hit a New York State Electric and Gas Ford ranger. The impact was massive. Both vehicles were destroyed.
I pulled over immediately and pulled the lady out of the mini van which was on fire. She was screaming in pain and hysterical about her baby. I went back to the minivan and found an empty car seat. No baby. A few of the windows were broken and the windshield was peeled back from the frame about 1/4 of the way down and on the passengers side. I quickly searched for the baby in the minivan and then looked around the road and in the ditch. Nothing. I ran over to the NYSEG truck and Tried to open the door. At this point the NYSEG truck was also on fire. I knew just the night before I had emptied my fire extinguisher on a bon fire I had with some friends. I have no way of putting out the fire. I am pulling and trying to get the door open on the truck. There was a cap on the truck so there was no getting the guy out of the rear window. The steering wheel had the guy pinned to the seat. At this point I look around and see there are at least 20 people who stopped and no one is helping me. I am screaming for someone to help me and everyone is yelling get away from there it is going to blow up. I also noticed several tractor trailers just driving right by. They are required to have a fire extinguisher in NY, none of them stopped. The fire is increasing in size and starting to come through the fire wall of the truck. I had to give up. No one would help. The guy burned up right there in front of me. I collapsed on the side of the road and balled.

The guy who died was young with a wife and 4 kids.:frown: The lady had bent over to pick up a cigarette. Her baby was not in the car at the time of the accident. I still wonder what the outcome would have been if I hadn't have wasted the fire extinguisher the night before.

 

[yellow-scorpion]

OMG, I feel like I was just there. Im in complete shock that the trucks didn't stop. I asked my self why did the people not get out of their cars to help? Was it because they couldn't believe what they had just seen, was it because they were scared to hear and see the victims, was it they didn't want to be held responsible or touch someone who was bleeding everywere. I don't know. Next to the accident were the two main cars collided they started a memorial flower section today. But right where the front of the civic was sitting is an incredible amount of kitty litter. Especially where the driver was laying on his back.
To watch someone burn alive is something I would NEVER get over. Its making me cry just thinking about it......:frown: . Im sorry you had to see that.
I don't look at driving the same anymore. Its almost not even a pleasurable ride but more of Im lucky to be alive and I reached my destination. Last night I went to taco bell and in the parking lot was the typical teenagers laughing and hanging out with their eclipes, evo and ss camaro. I was in my truck and I so badly wanted to tell them what just happened. I'm more humble today than I have ever been my entire life.

 

[steveny]

OMG, I feel like I was just there. Im in complete shock that the trucks didn't stop. I asked my self why did the people not get out of their cars to help? Was it because they couldn't believe what they had just seen, was it because they were scared to hear and see the victims, was it they didn't want to be held responsible or touch someone who was bleeding everywere. I don't know. Next to the accident were the two main cars collided they started a memorial flower section today. But right where the front of the civic was sitting is an incredible amount of kitty litter. Especially where the driver was laying on his back.
To watch someone burn alive is something I would NEVER get over. Its making me cry just thinking about it......:frown: . Im sorry you had to see that.
I don't look at driving the same anymore. Its almost not even a pleasurable ride but more of Im lucky to be alive and I reached my destination. Last night I went to taco bell and in the parking lot was the typical teenagers laughing and hanging out with their eclipes, evo and ss camaro. I was in my truck and I so badly wanted to tell them what just happened. I'm more humble today than I have ever been my entire life.

It's rough I know it. I can imagine how you are feeling. It subsides after a while but it never completely goes away. It sounds like there was nothing you could have done to help the victims. That's the worst part, feeling as though you can't help. I can imagine how a doctor must feel after giving a terminal diagnosis. I can't imagine what it must be like for a soldier coming back from war. It's basically the same thing times ten.

I can still see the guys hand hanging out the window of the truck. His hand was huge. It looked like he could have gotten himself out of any trouble he got in. If he hadn't been knocked unconscious I think he would have had a better chance. I can still see his hard hat laying in the road and some of his tools. He was just at work probably on his way home.

Have you been able to figure out what he was saying in Russian?

 

[yellow-scorpion]

When I got to the driver there was a lady there that was telling him to hold on. He was moving his head left and right. His head was the only part moving. His legs, body and hands had no movement. He proabably didn't even know he was bleeding from the back of his head. He really didn't stop moving his head till he raised his head looked at the sidewalk and said something then layed back down and stoped moving. The only two people that were next to him was me and the lady. I don't even know where she came from. But when the paramedics, HP, corener, arrived I couldn't find her. I think he was trying to say something in english but he was so out of it that it sounded like Russian. There's a crowd of people mostly high school kids at the light post memorial. So many that traffic is slowing down to see.

 

[jeffchai]

antelope is not far from me. i was in a car accident on Christmas eve near arden mall, it was a busy shopping day, when the light turn green i waited aleast 5-10 seconds to let the cars to pass before proceed through the intersection and i guess the driver of the Camry still think she can make through the red light after 10 seconds has passed. any how she hit me i was lucky enough she hit me on the front fender/bumper and both me and my girl friend are not seriously injured if i didnt brake hard enough and move few more feed forward i would suffer alot more serious injury. it just to show that life is precious and you never know whats going to happen so spend time with your family and appreciate life in general.

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[Ryanmcd2]

I didn't have a lot of time to expand on this yesterday but believe me I know exactly how you feel.

I have personally witness several fatal accident most of which have occurred right at the bottom of my driveway. I live on a pretty busy road but I live pretty far off the road. Often time I don't know about the accident until after it has happened but I have seen a few occur. The worst had to be a young Cornell grad student who was 23 on his bicycle and hit by a guy who was doing 80 in a Ford Taurs. I can still see all the details as sharp as if they happened 5 minutes ago. It's funny how it sticks in someones mind. I wish I had the ability to remember the details of situation that are not as horrific. The guy who hit the young man, and killed him, was 82 years old and lives up the road from me. He is still driving the same car. Every time I see him I get flashbacks.

The worst accident by far that I witnessed was over by Watkins Glen almost 20 years ago now. I was coming back from a friends house who also owns a large scrap yard of 60's-70's muscle cars. I was getting a front clip for a Camero I was restoring. There was a lady in front of me in a mini van. She swerved over into the on coming lane and Hit a New York State Electric and Gas Ford ranger. The impact was massive. Both vehicles were destroyed.
I pulled over immediately and pulled the lady out of the mini van which was on fire. She was screaming in pain and hysterical about her baby. I went back to the minivan and found an empty car seat. No baby. A few of the windows were broken and the windshield was peeled back from the frame about 1/4 of the way down and on the passengers side. I quickly searched for the baby in the minivan and then looked around the road and in the ditch. Nothing. I ran over to the NYSEG truck and Tried to open the door. At this point the NYSEG truck was also on fire. I knew just the night before I had emptied my fire extinguisher on a bon fire I had with some friends. I have no way of putting out the fire. I am pulling and trying to get the door open on the truck. There was a cap on the truck so there was no getting the guy out of the rear window. The steering wheel had the guy pinned to the seat. At this point I look around and see there are at least 20 people who stopped and no one is helping me. I am screaming for someone to help me and everyone is yelling get away from there it is going to blow up. I also noticed several tractor trailers just driving right by. They are required to have a fire extinguisher in NY, none of them stopped. The fire is increasing in size and starting to come through the fire wall of the truck. I had to give up. No one would help. The guy burned up right there in front of me. I collapsed on the side of the road and balled.

The guy who died was young with a wife and 4 kids.:frown: The lady had bent over to pick up a cigarette. Her baby was not in the car at the time of the accident. I still wonder what the outcome would have been if I hadn't have wasted the fire extinguisher the night before.

Man that makes me cry just reading over it. I have had other things happen and when asking for help people do just stand around. You feel like time has stopped or something or they can not hear you I just dont understand it. Nothing is worse then seeing something like this unfold and feel helpless about it. I will always stop now if I see something like this, if I get shot or robbed or whatever at least I tried because I don't want to be the person that just keep driving.

 

[yellow-scorpion]

I was placing some flowers at the memorial sight they created and started to talk to some of the high school kids that went to school with the three kids. A family friend of one of the kids walked up (didn't speak any english). It turns out that one of the kids was visiting from Russia and the driver wanted to show him how much fun it was to be in America. The civic they were driving was a salvaged car bought by the drivers dad. It was two civics that were welded together. The family friend said that if the car wasn't salvaged and they all had their seat belts on they might have survived. He's been comming to the site every day since the accident.


I was watching the news last night and had seen a story about a plane that crashed in the florida marsh land and one guy had rushed over with his boat and started to pluck people out of the water amongst all the yelling and crying. I can't fathom........

 

[yellow-scorpion]

OUCH!!! I was just at arden a few days ago. I don't know what it is about that area but the drivers are always in a rush. Im sorry about the accident but happy it wasn't directed at the driver door. Have a safe happy new year...

antelope is not far from me. i was in a car accident on Christmas eve near arden mall, it was a busy shopping day, when the light turn green i waited aleast 5-10 seconds to let the cars to pass before proceed through the intersection and i guess the driver of the Camry still think she can make through the red light after 10 seconds has passed. any how she hit me i was lucky enough she hit me on the front fender/bumper and both me and my girl friend are not seriously injured if i didnt brake hard enough and move few more feed forward i would suffer alot more serious injury. it just to show that life is precious and you never know whats going to happen so spend time with your family and appreciate life in general.

<a href="http://s193.photobucket.com/albums/z212/jeffchaisi/?action=view&current=CIMG1098.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z212/jeffchaisi/CIMG1098.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
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[steveny]

The civic they were driving was a salvaged car bought by the drivers dad. It was two civics that were welded together. The family friend said that if the car wasn't salvaged and they all had their seat belts on they might have survived. He's been comming to the site every day since the accident.

Hmmm.
How did I know that. Well I know several Russians that immigrated to the US. All of them do wrecked repairable for money. I am not stereotyping here just stating what I know. For some reason the Russians can and will take a completely mangled car and work it back to "looking" new without buying many new parts at all. I have personally watched one Russian guy bang a fender back out that I would have never put back on a car. I have also heard they often weld together a few cars to make one good car. I have done this myself but I welded all the inter structure too and plated where necessary. I have heard of the Russians just welding the outer panel which is a big no no. I still feel bad for the kids and I feel even worse for the father because he most likely is the person who repaired the car. To ride around in a car like that is just asking for trouble. The half-@ss repair jobs I was seeing is exactly why I got out of the salvage side business I was part owner of. I knew the whole title branding thing was not too far of in the near future after seeing BIG TIME cob jobs.

 

[netfreak]

I really don't have much sympathy for people who kill themselves when operating a motor vehicle in a manner which puts themselves and others at risk. I do feel bad after reading the story posted by steveny. It just goes to show you that no matter how good of a driver you are, all it takes is someone careless to put an end to it all. I'm sure many of us here have had close calls with people speeding or simply not paying attention to the road. I hate to think about it, but realistically every time I get in my car there is a chance I won't be coming back.