Pedestrian struck......what a night.

Ken C.

Ken C.

Jack of all trades, master of none.
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I was just dispatched to a pedestrian struck on Rt.3 (major NJ hwy). Person was a 29 y/o female from Mattoon, IL here for school. Reports state she was crossing the highway numerous times during the night. This time she was not so lucky. She was struck by a small Toyota changing lanes. The reuslt was not pretty. Numerous head lacs, bleeding from the nose and ears, and her legs were twisted the wrong way. So much damn blood. She was hit so hard her clothes came off. My engine crew and I packaged up the patient rather quickly. We had assitance from the Passaic County Sheriffs ESU unit who just happened to be passing by. Our ambulance crew and ALS took her to the hospital. I don't know whether she lived or died yet. Either way this one is gonna' last on me a while.
 
They lost a woman on the NY Thruway yesterday .She pulled out from the shoulder ahead of one truck ,went all the way to the left hand lane never seeing the second truck -fatal !
 
Had a fatal pedestrian accident just a few blocks from my house too on Sunday. Was scouring the news for details on the victim but strange how there is not a reporting on the tube or print. Makes you wonder how many deaths close by go unnoticed.
 
They always stay with me for a while as well, it sucks. We don't have a good 'trauma' center here, so many of our MVA's get flown out and we never find out later if they survived... it would be nice to know sometimes. Hope I didn't jinx you KC.
 
God that is awful!!! Why on earth was she crossing Rte. 3?!! I know route 3 quite well. Poor girl!!
 
TheKnifeCollector said:
God that is awful!!! Why on earth was she crossing Rte. 3?!! I know route 3 quite well. Poor girl!!
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Situation as I know it from Clifton PD....

She was a student attending Montclair State U. staying at the hotel in the temp quarters. She was in a domestic dispute with a male party. She was highly intoxicated and had been crossing the highway numerous times during the day to get smokes at the Shell station across the highway (there is a Shell on the same side of the hwy as the hotel). She made it across the highway to the station and was hit coming back over. She never made it past the first lane. Her partially opened pack of cigs, ID, purse, keys, and clothes where all over the highway. I still have no word of her fate.
 
Sorry for you man..and her...I don't know how you do it day in, and day out..but I'm glad you do! Gene
 
Update:

I called my contact in the Traffic Division who handled the case. Our patient died at 0307 hours due to head trauma and massive internal bleeding. She lived for 6 hours after our guys got her to the hospital. What makes this harder is that I knew her name which made it personal for me. Normally we don't get that info until after.

RIP Melissa. :(
 
We had a second motorcycle accident ,non-fatal, multi vehicle, all started by a 78 year old man on a H-D in the rain.I hope he gives it up while it's not too late ! How many 78 year olds are capable on a bike ??
 
Puts my bad days in perspective.

At least she got the best care available. You were instrumental in that.
 
God Bless you for your chosen career Ken, and I pray you have someone close to talk to!
 
Ken C., you stated that the victim was "crossing the highway many times during the night." Maybe this is a naive question, but why on earth was she doing that? I don't mean to suggest that the accident wasn't horrible (it was for all of you concerned I'm sure), nor do I suggest that maybe she was inviting it to happen. I have to wonder, though, if she was maybe involved in some sort of "illicit sales." What do you think? Any clues?
 
I really don't care what her purpose was for crossing the highway. Nor can I even speculate as to why. All I know is that someone died on my watch and I am not happy about that fact.
 
Ken C., I am sure you are upset by what happened and your involvement in the aftermath while trying to save that victim. I certainly wasn't trying to be insensitive in any way, but I can't help wondering why she was reported to have been seen crossing the highway repeatedly at night. Understanding why this accident happened might just save someone else from a similar fate.
 
Dr. Mudd said:
Ken C., I am sure you are upset by what happened and your involvement in the aftermath while trying to save that victim. I certainly wasn't trying to be insensitive in any way, but I can't help wondering why she was reported to have been seen crossing the highway repeatedly at night. Understanding why this accident happened might just save someone else from a similar fate.
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Probably something as simple as moving out of her Dorm for the Summer or something like that...

Im sorry ken...the poor girls family..:(
 
You can't save them all Ken, you know that better than most. It's hard not to take some of this stuff home with us or take it personally. I hope there is someone at your department you can talk to about this if you need it. Hang in there bud! -Matt-
 
Ken, I'm glad there are folks like you, well trained and willing to help in a professional manner. makes me feel a bit better about humanity.

But you aren't responsible for every person individually. If someone gets intoxicated and wanders out into traffic, it's no one's fault except the drunk's. I hope the driver isn't blaming themselves either.

Best Wishes,
-Bob
 
Bob W said:
Ken, I'm glad there are folks like you, well trained and willing to help in a professional manner. makes me feel a bit better about humanity.

But you aren't responsible for every person individually. If someone gets intoxicated and wanders out into traffic, it's no one's fault except the drunk's. I hope the driver isn't blaming themselves either.

Best Wishes,
-Bob
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The driver of the car is going to be fine. She didn't sustain any injuries.

I know we can't stop people from doing stupid things but we can put the pieces back together the best we can afterwards. After 10 years on this job I've become somewhat desensitized to all of it. I don't like it but that's the way it is. It comes down to this......help those who need it and do your best while doing it.
 
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