Four weeks ago on Sunday night & we’re watching 60 Minutes after supper. The doorbell rings. It’s the new next door neighbor lady, asking what’s happening with our cars, wondering, as she said, “Why there were all crashed together? To which I responded, “What the XXXX?” & walked outside.
There was a very nice Volvo, smashed into my Promaster Van, having shoved it over into Marti’s Honda–a distance of about seven feet! Obviously, to move a 6000-lb vehicle that much, the car had to be moving at a serious clip. There were no skid marks or other signs in the street or yard the car had tried to stop. No one was visible in the Volvo’s front seat, but when I walked over & got close up, the driver was clearly slumped over on to the passenger seat. Air bag was not deployed. Neighbor guy (medical professional) came over & opened up the passenger door while I called 911. He claimed the guy had no pulse. 911 insisted we drag the driver out of the car & begin CPR. So…that happened. But just then the Fire Department showed up, along with four police cars. And of course, neighbors high & low showed up, everyone snapping cell phone pictures. Driver was a young black guy, seemingly around 30. Police told me the car was stolen.
CFD ran CPR for 45 minutes to no avail.
The accident will require an extensive investigation, according to the police. Eventually, the Volvo will get dragged out of our driveway. ZI had to be there, available, since the accident happened on our property. Finally, at 10:30, a tow truck hauled the Volvo away, in the pouring rain. Monday, I discover the van doors do not. will not, close. It remains to be seen whether things can get sorted out vehicle-wise in time to meet all the upcoming deadlines, & client work.
It certainly IS always something, huh?
Update on dealing with insurance. Allstate balks at doing anything, considering the guy is dead, & this accident falls under “un-insured motorist claims.” It takes two weeks to get the okay to get the van repaired. The holdup is supposedly the police report–which is scheduled to be delivered August 16th. But this week, we learn it has now been delayed until the “end of the month,” whatever that means exactly. Van repairs are nearly $4K worth of damage: bent axle, broken spindle, trailing arm, wheel & tire, etc. They wonder (over & over) why I did not get the doors fixed at the same time. They cannot understand that these are bodyshop repairs, which is another shop facility, four miles away. Finally, this week (four weeks later) I get the okay to have these repairs made. Dodge is not very helpful, saying they have “no idea” when the needed parts will arrive. Yesterday, we found a nice Hyundai ACCENT (low mileage & a good price) to replace my wife’s Honda, which Allstate declared totaled on Monday. The estimate to repair it ( a 2006 Civic, but with low mileage) was estimated to go as high as $10K, considering the left side would have to be removed, etc.
Like I say, it’s always something…huh??
stay tuned… I’ll hopefully get back to tower work one of these days….
