Florence man has narrow escape in Rte 91 accident

My neighbor was driving home from Vermont last Monday after spending Easter with her family. Looking ahead on the highway, she saw a truck at an odd angle on the median, almost as if it was trying to pull a U-turn on the highway.

As she passed the truck and looked in her rear view mirror she realized with horror that there was a car smooshed under that truck. The accident had just happened -- she could see the truck driver getting out of his cab. She called 911 and was told that help was on the way.

She told me the story the next day, and she was still shaken by what she saw.

The day after that I was walking with a friend and she said, "Jim was in a really bad accident Monday," and sure enough, his was the car under that truck.

Unbelievably, the driver of the smooshed car, Jim Ault of Florence, is okay.

"I was able to climb out the driver's side window. My only injuries are neck pain and stiffness--torn muscles. We don't know yet how long they ill hamper me and exactly how. But, I'm alive!"

According to the police report, the truck driver missed his exit and decided to take a U-Turn to the southbound side of the highway.

He didn't see Ault on his left and turned right into him. Ault had a bit of warning and was able to slow down. When he realized what was about to happen he just "closed my eyes and relaxed my body", he told a friend.

The truck driver, who wasn't injured, was charged with negligent operation.

I love the picture below, with the NO U-TURN sign right in front of the truck (you know, in case you ever thought for even one second that a u-turn was an okay thing to do on a highway).