Huckleberry
11-29-2005, 04:52 PM
http://media.www.dailytexanonline.com/media/paper410/news/2005/11/29/TopStories/Ut.Student.Dies.Three.Others.Injured.In.Car.Accident-1114896.shtml?sourcedomain=www.dailytexanonline.com&MIIHost=media.collegepublisher.com
Top Stories | 11/29/05
UT student dies, three others injured in car accident
Two students in ICU, deceased sophomore remembered as leader
By Jimmie Collins (http://www.dailytexanonline.com/user/index.cfm?event=displayAuthorProfile&authorid=0)
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A UT student, psychology sophomore Christopher Watkins, died and three others were injured in a car accident in Giddings Sunday.
The students were traveling on U.S. Highway 290 on their return to school from Houston where they spent the Thanksgiving holiday, according to a friend.
Details about the accident have not yet been released.
The other three passengers are being treated at Brackenridge Hospital.
Juan Montoya, a business freshman, and Renee Bazile, a psychology sophomore, are in the Intensive Care Unit at Brackenridge. Bazile is in a coma, said Krystal Harris, a friend of the victims. June Abbey, a psychology sophomore, is now in Intermediate Care, which follows treatment in the ICU, according to Brackenridge officials.
Hospital officials would not give more details about the students\' conditions.
All four of the students were roommates at Jefferson Commons at the Ballpark in the Riverside area.
Harris, Watkins\' girlfriend and a social work sophomore, said the roommates were all friends and Watkins held everyone together through their first year in college.
"He was like the leader of the group," Harris said. "I don\'t know how we\'re going to do anything without him."
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A UT student, psychology sophomore Christopher Watkins, died and three others were injured in a car accident in Giddings Sunday.
The students were traveling on U.S. Highway 290 on their return to school from Houston where they spent the Thanksgiving holiday, according to a friend.
Details about the accident have not yet been released.
The other three passengers are being treated at Brackenridge Hospital.
Juan Montoya, a business freshman, and Renee Bazile, a psychology sophomore, are in the Intensive Care Unit at Brackenridge. Bazile is in a coma, said Krystal Harris, a friend of the victims. June Abbey, a psychology sophomore, is now in Intermediate Care, which follows treatment in the ICU, according to Brackenridge officials.
Hospital officials would not give more details about the students' conditions.
All four of the students were roommates at Jefferson Commons at the Ballpark in the Riverside area.
Harris, Watkins' girlfriend and a social work sophomore, said the roommates were all friends and Watkins held everyone together through their first year in college.
"He was like the leader of the group," Harris said. "I don't know how we're going to do anything without him."
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My family and I came upon this accident no more than a minute after it happened. My wife is a nurse (licensed and registered but not practicing) and provided medical attention on the scene to the victims. We arrived and immediately saw the body of a victim on the road. Strangely my first instinct was to shield my wife's eyes, stop the car, and get out to help. Fortunately that didn't last long, not that she would have let it. She slaps my hands out of the way, asks if he's alive, and we notice breathing. Or at least I did. She was already gone.
By the time I stopped I was almost even with the victim and past the car (which I hadn't really noticed). I pulled up just past the wreckage and parked the car as my wife and another nurse that happened to be there attended to the victim on the road. It was at this time that my older daughter started to freak out. That soft, quiet cry that tells you they're genuinely sad and/or scared. She's like me in that she doesn't process information really well for the first couple of minutes after waking up. It took a while but I convinced her that her mommy wasn't hurt or even in the accident, she was only helping the people that were hurt.
I had to stay near the car with my kids, of course, but I stood just outside to figure out what was happening and if there was anything anyone needed. Very soon the 3 victims still in the car were discovered. "We got 2 more over here!" quickly followed by "No, three!". Shortly thereafter I lost track of where my wife was but realized she had probably moved to the car. My daughter picked up on my momentary loss of visual confirmation and asked me if I still saw mommy. I answered honestly, telling her I was sure I knew where she was. She insisted I make sure her mommy was still alright, so I locked the car and jogged the 20 yards or so to the car.
At this point I see the guy in the back seat (apparently Christopher Watkins). He is, of course, in a bad way. I later learn from my wife that his pulse was faint and in and out. As I round the car I see my wife at work. My wife has an issue occasionally with self-confidence especially as it pertains to getting back into nursing after our children are in school. But I know she will never be more unprepared to deliver medical care than she was on a desolate stretch of highway on Sunday evening on the way home from Thanksgiving after 6 years since her last work in a hospital setting. And she kicked ass. She and the other nurse were basically in charge at the scene until the EMTs arrived. Most of the small town police and sheriff deputies that arrived were really overwhelmed, and this was only a 3 car accident with heavy injuries in one of the vehicles.
There was only one law enforcement officer on hand, from what I can tell, that was fully prepared. The rest were either asking him or asking the nurses what to do. At one point an officer allowed traffic to slowly move through while the young man (Juan Montoya) was still clinging to life on the ground. My wife says a semi passed "like 12 inches" from her foot - this is while she was still with the victim on the ground. I remember the semi, and I tell her that while it was more like 3 feet I completely understand the reaction when she barks at the officer to stop all traffic. Shortly thereafter more officers arrived and started to organize the situation.
Seemed like about 25 minutes before the ambulances showed up. That's after the fact. At the time it seemed like forever. My first guess would have been 45 minutes before I pieced it all back together.
According to the other nurse, who saw it happen, the car apparently slowed/stopped to make a u-turn. They were smashed from behind. This makes sense with the point of impact in the back left. The guy sitting back left was ejected from the car. He is still alive. The guy sitting back right was in the car. He died in the emergency helicopter on the way to the hospital. The driver is the one in a coma. The shotgun passenger is the one in intermediate care. She was the only one conscious at the scene. If you ask me the guy that was ejected would have died instantly if he had stayed in the car. The deformation of the car was too extreme. He would have been crushed.
Sorry for the rambling. It was an awful scene and it helped me process it. I've put this up on 3 boards now, a new one with each story that comes out. This is the first one with names. Now my wife has received information regarding protocol after blood explosure. She obviously had no standard protection.
So much to say. I could have made this post twice as long.
Top Stories | 11/29/05
UT student dies, three others injured in car accident
Two students in ICU, deceased sophomore remembered as leader
By Jimmie Collins (http://www.dailytexanonline.com/user/index.cfm?event=displayAuthorProfile&authorid=0)
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A UT student, psychology sophomore Christopher Watkins, died and three others were injured in a car accident in Giddings Sunday.
The students were traveling on U.S. Highway 290 on their return to school from Houston where they spent the Thanksgiving holiday, according to a friend.
Details about the accident have not yet been released.
The other three passengers are being treated at Brackenridge Hospital.
Juan Montoya, a business freshman, and Renee Bazile, a psychology sophomore, are in the Intensive Care Unit at Brackenridge. Bazile is in a coma, said Krystal Harris, a friend of the victims. June Abbey, a psychology sophomore, is now in Intermediate Care, which follows treatment in the ICU, according to Brackenridge officials.
Hospital officials would not give more details about the students\' conditions.
All four of the students were roommates at Jefferson Commons at the Ballpark in the Riverside area.
Harris, Watkins\' girlfriend and a social work sophomore, said the roommates were all friends and Watkins held everyone together through their first year in college.
"He was like the leader of the group," Harris said. "I don\'t know how we\'re going to do anything without him."
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A UT student, psychology sophomore Christopher Watkins, died and three others were injured in a car accident in Giddings Sunday.
The students were traveling on U.S. Highway 290 on their return to school from Houston where they spent the Thanksgiving holiday, according to a friend.
Details about the accident have not yet been released.
The other three passengers are being treated at Brackenridge Hospital.
Juan Montoya, a business freshman, and Renee Bazile, a psychology sophomore, are in the Intensive Care Unit at Brackenridge. Bazile is in a coma, said Krystal Harris, a friend of the victims. June Abbey, a psychology sophomore, is now in Intermediate Care, which follows treatment in the ICU, according to Brackenridge officials.
Hospital officials would not give more details about the students' conditions.
All four of the students were roommates at Jefferson Commons at the Ballpark in the Riverside area.
Harris, Watkins' girlfriend and a social work sophomore, said the roommates were all friends and Watkins held everyone together through their first year in college.
"He was like the leader of the group," Harris said. "I don't know how we're going to do anything without him."
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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My family and I came upon this accident no more than a minute after it happened. My wife is a nurse (licensed and registered but not practicing) and provided medical attention on the scene to the victims. We arrived and immediately saw the body of a victim on the road. Strangely my first instinct was to shield my wife's eyes, stop the car, and get out to help. Fortunately that didn't last long, not that she would have let it. She slaps my hands out of the way, asks if he's alive, and we notice breathing. Or at least I did. She was already gone.
By the time I stopped I was almost even with the victim and past the car (which I hadn't really noticed). I pulled up just past the wreckage and parked the car as my wife and another nurse that happened to be there attended to the victim on the road. It was at this time that my older daughter started to freak out. That soft, quiet cry that tells you they're genuinely sad and/or scared. She's like me in that she doesn't process information really well for the first couple of minutes after waking up. It took a while but I convinced her that her mommy wasn't hurt or even in the accident, she was only helping the people that were hurt.
I had to stay near the car with my kids, of course, but I stood just outside to figure out what was happening and if there was anything anyone needed. Very soon the 3 victims still in the car were discovered. "We got 2 more over here!" quickly followed by "No, three!". Shortly thereafter I lost track of where my wife was but realized she had probably moved to the car. My daughter picked up on my momentary loss of visual confirmation and asked me if I still saw mommy. I answered honestly, telling her I was sure I knew where she was. She insisted I make sure her mommy was still alright, so I locked the car and jogged the 20 yards or so to the car.
At this point I see the guy in the back seat (apparently Christopher Watkins). He is, of course, in a bad way. I later learn from my wife that his pulse was faint and in and out. As I round the car I see my wife at work. My wife has an issue occasionally with self-confidence especially as it pertains to getting back into nursing after our children are in school. But I know she will never be more unprepared to deliver medical care than she was on a desolate stretch of highway on Sunday evening on the way home from Thanksgiving after 6 years since her last work in a hospital setting. And she kicked ass. She and the other nurse were basically in charge at the scene until the EMTs arrived. Most of the small town police and sheriff deputies that arrived were really overwhelmed, and this was only a 3 car accident with heavy injuries in one of the vehicles.
There was only one law enforcement officer on hand, from what I can tell, that was fully prepared. The rest were either asking him or asking the nurses what to do. At one point an officer allowed traffic to slowly move through while the young man (Juan Montoya) was still clinging to life on the ground. My wife says a semi passed "like 12 inches" from her foot - this is while she was still with the victim on the ground. I remember the semi, and I tell her that while it was more like 3 feet I completely understand the reaction when she barks at the officer to stop all traffic. Shortly thereafter more officers arrived and started to organize the situation.
Seemed like about 25 minutes before the ambulances showed up. That's after the fact. At the time it seemed like forever. My first guess would have been 45 minutes before I pieced it all back together.
According to the other nurse, who saw it happen, the car apparently slowed/stopped to make a u-turn. They were smashed from behind. This makes sense with the point of impact in the back left. The guy sitting back left was ejected from the car. He is still alive. The guy sitting back right was in the car. He died in the emergency helicopter on the way to the hospital. The driver is the one in a coma. The shotgun passenger is the one in intermediate care. She was the only one conscious at the scene. If you ask me the guy that was ejected would have died instantly if he had stayed in the car. The deformation of the car was too extreme. He would have been crushed.
Sorry for the rambling. It was an awful scene and it helped me process it. I've put this up on 3 boards now, a new one with each story that comes out. This is the first one with names. Now my wife has received information regarding protocol after blood explosure. She obviously had no standard protection.
So much to say. I could have made this post twice as long.