3 Hospitalized After Car Flips, Ends Up Under Semi On NYS Thruway
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A horrific accident snarled the southbound New York State Thruway in Yonkers for the holiday getaway Friday afternoon.
As CBS2's Sonia Rincon reported, three people were injured – but survived – when their car flipped upside down and got tangled under a semi-trailer truck.
The accident happened on the southbound Thruway (Interstate 87) in Yonkers between exits 3 and 4, CBS2's Joe Biermann reported from Chopper 2.
Biermann called the crash "one of the most amazing accidents I've seen in years."
The massive tractor trailer was barely scratched, but the small, red Honda Civic was upside down and nearly crushed beneath it.
Witnesses along the Thruway weren't sure who caused the collision. But they saw the little red car snagged in between the massive truck's wheels.
"The car about two flips, maybe two or three flips -- under the truck," said Pablo San Lucas.
"I heard the impact, and I saw the truck from, like, this side all the way to the other side dragging a car, and I couldn't believe it," said Eddie Martorrel.
Witnesses said fire, police and EMS were on the scene in moments, pulling two severely injured adults and a little girl from the car and then pulling the car out from under the truck.
"That in itself is unusual, but to have the car actually be upside down and pinned under the tractor trailer is extra unusual," said Yonkers Assistant Fire Chief John Flynn.
Martorrel says the truck driver was clearly upset.
"He panicked," Martorrel said. "He came out -- he panicked, He didn't know what to do, because this was something crazy."
The victims were taken to Jacobi Medical Center with very serious injuries, but their conditions were stable, according to Flynn. He said their seatbelts were a major factor in their incredible survival.