Jeep heap
Rosanne Weber/Staff
Virginia State Trooper Doug Brydge surveys the scene of a rollover accident involving a Jeep Grand Cherokee on Thursday on Christians Creek Road.
Published: September 18, 2009
JOLIVUE — A Stuarts Draft woman barreled her SUV around a slippery Christians Creek Road curve Thursday, rolled out of control and crashed near the Augusta County landfill, a witness and police said.
Augusta Regional Landfill worker Randy Clatterbuck, of Harrisonburg, said he watched as Emily Hays, 20, gunned her gray Jeep Grand Cherokee around a curve near the county landfill. The morning rain caused Hays’ vehicle to slip, leaving a 124-foot skid mark on the road, said Virginia State Police Trooper Doug Brydge.
Hays, the only occupant, escaped from the Jeep heap unscathed. She circled the wreck with a turquoise camera phone, stopping to talk with the state trooper shortly afterward. She wiped tears from her eyes as he charged her with reckless driving.
On a nearby guardrail, Clatterbuck waited for the accident to be cleared. The wrecked Jeep lay splayed across both lanes of the road, the front of the vehicle smashed.
“I was going to lunch,” Clatterbuck said. “She was laying out in the road when we saw her. Thank God no one was hurt – she had her seat belt on.”
Reader Reactions
A rollover accident may actually be related to hydroplaning. Usually, a rollover happens because a car turns sharply one way or another. See the videos on hydroplaning linked from our website, http://fishtail.tv
Far too many hydroplaning accidents are ignored because they involve one car wrecks or cases in which the most injured party is thought to be at fault.
Failing to properly investigate the tire installation facts in a hydroplaning or fishtailing wreck is a huge mistake. All manufacturers recommendations state that the new tires should go on the back. If new tires are installed on the front (the myth as to what should be done) the sellers or installers of such tires are clearly liable for all injuries. fishtail.tv
Attorney Gordon Johnson
She might not be ‘injured’ but I’ll bet she will be mighty sore and stiff for a few days. I know that curve—you need to drive at a sensible speed around it.
Oh my word, that girl is fortunate she’s alive. How scary. I hope she learned her lesson!!!!!!!!
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