A 24-year-old learning-disabled woman was hit by a car a few minutes ago outside my building.

I heard something that sounded like a trash can or boxes being hit, then silence, then screaming. I looked outside of my bedroom window to see two dark figures standing over a body in the street, one of them flailing about and yelling for help. I ran downstairs to find a man and a woman trying unsuccessfully to communicate with a hit pedestrian, who was lying in the middle of the street, covered in blood. It was terrifying: The injured party wasn't moving, it's dark, it's pouring down rain and it was the tail end of rush hour!

I called 911 as the man at the scene covered the injured party in blankets. The woman, who'd been the motorist, was pretty useless as she was altogether inconsolable. As we waited for emergency responders to show up, THANK GOD the injured party began to writhe about and cry out unintelligibly. We insisted she remain still, but a combination of shock and, I assume, her impairment prevented us from quite reaching or understanding her.

Long story short, paramedics showed up and commenced initial care. The injured woman's frantic parents showed up just before she was transported to hospital. (Fortunately, she just happened to be on the phone with them when the accident happened, so they knew she was on her routine foot route home.)

It looks like the pedestrian is going to be OK. And the motorist is still outside now talking to police. Apparently, she simply made a quick right turn and didn't see the pedestrian given the poor driving conditions right now. Plus the pedestrian was wearing all black and using her cell phone (and therefore probably wasn't altogether paying attention.) The motorist seems to be calmed down now, but she was a mess! I feel for her almost as much as the injured party, because seeing a nonresponsive, bloodied body lying there in the street has got to be one of the most disturbing things I've encountered -- and I wasn't at fault. I can't imagine what it must be like for folk who've actually been party to accidental or violent death along this line.

I need a bubble bath and a drink right now.

[Edited 11/22/10 18:38pm]

thank god you were there. good for you for being a hero on the spot. hope she will be okay that's scary

XxAxX said:

thank god you were there. good for you for being a hero on the spot. hope she will be okay that's scary

I think the real heroes were those emergency responders. It was awesome seeing them work. I honestly don't know how they do it, though. There was just so... much...blood.

Even now the street's littered with blood and medical refuse. Even the pedestrian's rain boots are still out there. She'd been knocked clean out of them. It looks like there are some guys out there now who are beginning to clean.

[Edited 11/22/10 17:40pm]

Lammastide said:

XxAxX said:

thank god you were there. good for you for being a hero on the spot. hope she will be okay that's scary

I think the real heroes were those emergency responders. It was awesome seeing them work. I honestly don't know how they do it, though. There was just so... much...blood.

Even now the street's littered with blood and medical refuse. Even one of the pedestrian's rain boots are still out there. She'd been knocked clean out of them. It looks like there are some guys out there now who are beginning to clean.

[Edited 11/22/10 17:29pm]

oh jeez. for her good health and healing. that must have ben traumatic.

i've had first responder training in the past, but i'm not sure i'd have the nerve or keep it togetherness to use it on the spot.

XxAxX said:

Lammastide said:

I think the real heroes were those emergency responders. It was awesome seeing them work. I honestly don't know how they do it, though. There was just so... much...blood.

Even now the street's littered with blood and medical refuse. Even one of the pedestrian's rain boots are still out there. She'd been knocked clean out of them. It looks like there are some guys out there now who are beginning to clean.

[Edited 11/22/10 17:29pm]

oh jeez. for her good health and healing. that must have ben traumatic.

please take my business card from the law firm I work for...Sue, Sue and Litigate

bad time, XxAxX...bad timing

Glad it seems like she'll be ok.

It's updated in the news the woman is OK. She's being treated for serious, but non-life-threatening injuries, the worst of which seems to be a major concussion. She's very fortunate. I had no idea she actually hit and broke the car's windshield before tumbling underneath it while it was moving. Miraculously, somehow, she's got zero broken bones.

Lammastide said:

It's updated in the news the woman is OK. She's being treated for serious, but non-life-threatening injuries, the worst of which seems to be a major concussion. She's very fortunate. I had no idea she actually hit and broke the car's windshield before tumbling underneath it while it was moving. Miraculously, somehow, she's got zero broken bones.

How scary. Glad she's ok.

Good looking out

So much love and so much healing light to that woman, and everyone involved.

What a shock for all of you!

Glad she will be okay.

God, that sounds so scary.

Thank goodness she wasn't killed.

My goodness, that is great you didn't get too nervous. Thankful, all are going to be alright, and especially the pedestrian!

We need more people like you around!