CBS4 Exclusive: Couple Injured In Deadly Crash On I-95 Doesn't Regret Stopping To Help
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A couple who survived a deadly crash on I-95 is telling their story for the first time.
They are in town to celebrate their wedding anniversary and instead of a relaxing vacation, they are now healing at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
They told CBS4's Peter D'Oench they knew it was dark and dangerous on I-95 early Friday morning but they felt compelled to help those in need.
Those good Samaritans had just arrived at the Miami airport early Friday and were headed to a hotel in Broward County.
Isadore James says he and his wife Tiffany won't forget what they saw around 1 a.m. on Friday.
"I heard a thumping and the next thing I saw a motorcycle sliding down without the motorcyclist on it," Isadore said. "I looked around and I saw a man lying in the middle of the expressway and I said we needed to pull over so we pulled over."
Other good Samaritans had pulled over to help the motorcyclist including a woman who was talking to 911.
Tiffany agreed to move that woman's car to get it out of the way.
"All I know is someone hit me in the back, Tiffany said. "I got out of the car and everyone was on the ground."
Including the woman whose car she moved.
"It happened so fast. I didn't know what happened until my husband told me," she said.
Isadore vividly remembers what happened as four lives were lost and at least a half dozen people were injured.
"The white truck swerved down I-95 and it was coming towards us and hit another car and I thought nothing good was going to happen," he said. "I close my eyes and then I said I am alive and I got up and saw bodies everywhere."
Isadore was left with road rash on his arms and a fractured left ankle that required surgery.
Despite the danger, he felt they had to stop.
"It's just who we are we are, just born again believers and Christians who knew that somebody needed help and we felt we needed to stop and help them," he said.
"That's what we do," added Tiffany. "We believe that's what Christ would want us to do with our lives. He would have stopped and helped. It's the nature in what we do."
They have heard that Lionel Orrego, the man behind the wheel, is charged with driving drunk while taking the victims' lives.
"I have flash backs every night but I forgive the guy who did this," said Isadore. "I pray for him and I hope God will talk to him so this will never happen again."
"I heard about the drunk driver and I was upset for him," said Tiffany. "But I pray for him and that he knows Christ and gets to know Christ and this will never happen again."
Isadore and Tiffany have two sons and live in Houston.
She's a fourth grade teacher and he's a communications technician who installs cable for Comcast.
It's not known how long he'll be hospitalized.
Tuesday is their 19th wedding anniversary.
