It was a gloomy day. Getting to the onramp to I-605 to Anaheim, we were rear-ended. It sent the Malibu we were driving spinning 180-degrees slamming and bouncing off the opposite railing.Can you imagine the feeling of your whole life coming into focus during the 5-seconds before death? Well, that didn't happen to me this time, unlike the last time. Instead, I watched everything go black and white like an old movie. I was conscious to steer and guide the car and avoid falling directly off the damn bridge. My deformed thumb ring can attest to how hard I was holding the wheel.
When the dust cleared the whole front was wrecked. Air bags had blown (oh, finally, getting to see it first hand). There goes my burger and fries from Carl's Jr. and I hadn't taken a bite yet!
Side doors weren't jammed thankfully. I unbuckled and checked for my passenger. What happens when you don't put your seatbelts on right? It rises up and had hit her rib cage. She was in pain and having a hard time breathing. Adrenaline rush. I unbuckled her seat belt, ran around the car, lifted her up and out of the wreckage.
By this time the showers had started and we were beside the road getting soaked. A blue sedan pulled up beside us and probably college new grad hopped out and called 911. An ambulance off on the highway skipped us and said the next one was coming (WTF?).
Two LAPD cruisers arrived and investigated. Not able to move the car, they used the cruiser to jam and move the car. Efficient.
An ambulance finally arrived and put Yna on a stretcher that drove us to the nearest Kaiser Permanente, I sat in front chatting with the other paramedic.
Called the car company and they were helpful to tow in a replacement for the car. I shakily drove back to the Holiday Express.
Since it was new year in bit, the hotel management had sent up a bottle of bubbly. Thanks guys.
What a way to spend the first day of the year, in front of the TV watching everyone else celebrate and acheing through it :-(
