Woman, 21, severely injured in ‘Dukes of Hazzard-style’ crash speaks out about nightmare
A woman, 21, who survived a ‘Dukes of Hazard-esque’ horror crash in a now-viral video, said she was seriously injured and had a hard time falling asleep.
Tanaijsha Bruton soared 120 feet in the air β hitting another vehicle and tumbling from side to side before coming to rest upside down during the Georgia highway wreck on May 24.
Video of the incident quickly went viral, drawing comparisons to various chase scenes on TV and in movies.
gross told WALB TV she couldn’t remember everything about the incident, but was shown the ordeal on social media. She said she remembered the pain she felt afterwards.
βIt hurts really, really bad. I felt everything,’ she said.
A Lowndes County sheriff’s deputy responded to an earlier wreck the day his body camera captured Bruton’s sedan flying into the air after going up the ramp from a tow truck.
Tanaijsha Bruton soared 120 feet in the air β hit another vehicle and tumbled over before coming to rest upside down during the Georgia highway wreck on May 24 β she said the ordeal left her sleepless
The astonishing footage showed the moment Bruton’s car flipped over after hitting the tow truck ramp at full speed.
At the time, a Georgia state patrol confirmed that a 21-year-old Tallahassee woman was seriously injured in the plane crash on Highway 84, but miraculously survived. Bruton was who was transported to South Georgia Medical Center after the crash near Valdosta, Georgia.
The deputy sheriff rushed to help Bruton, who was transported to South Georgia Medical Center after the crash near Valdosta, Georgia.
In the video, the deputy was seen walking along the stopped highway on the other side while attending to a separate accident.
The camera panned as he looked across the road with the red tow truck in sight.
The red tow truck comes into view as the deputy on the other side of the road looks to the left
A worker in a vest walks in front of the truck as the black car comes into view (right lane)
Without warning, the gray car behind hits the back of the stopped truck and launches itself
A black car passed a worker in a fluorescent jacket, who stepped in front of the stationary truck.
But without warning, the motorist in the gray car hit the back of the truck and tore off a large portion of the front bumper when it made contact.
The car was then seen spinning through the air, turning on its side and appearing to hit a black car in the right lane.
The deputy sheriff ran to the young driver’s aid as he radioed the wreckage.
Debris was seen scattered across the road and in the grass as the officer ran on.
The clip cut out as the officer approached the car, showing the extent of damage to the front of the rolled vehicle.
Local point of sale WCTV said the incident had drawn attention to Georgia’s relocation law, which requires drivers to slow down and change lanes when approaching an emergency vehicle, including a tow truck.
The car flies through the air. Part of one of the wheels is depicted on the top right of the frame
The car flips onto its side before hitting the ground and the car 120 feet in front of it
The deputy officer witnesses the incident and runs past car parts towards the horror crash
A police report said the car “jumped” about 100 feet over the tow truck after it launched off the driveway.
Bruton claimed she was blamed for the collision, but said the truck stopped in the highway’s fast lane with no illuminated turn signals.
“When I go to sleep, that’s pretty much what I dream about,” she said.
“It just plays out over and over again.”
Bruton was admitted to intensive care in neighboring Florida. She said her internal injuries required at least four surgeries and she is thankful she survived.
“My family wouldn’t let me see the video,” Bruton said. “But of course I’m stubborn and was on social media.”
On Facebook, the young mother posted “I am a warrior” while family and friends messaged her to get well soon.
It seemed that Bruton’s story had reached international heights, with some people from Brazil also responding to her post.
In the days following the crash, Bruton posted “Thanks everyone, keep praying for me” with a heart emoji to end the post.
It remains unclear whether Bruton faced any charges related to the wreck.