Woman says truck-driver caused crash and fled
A victim of a recent hit-and-run says she's lucky to have survived. An 18-wheeler reportedly cut her off on I-35 in Georgetown, causing her car to flip. She reached out to FOX 7 with the hope of tracking down the runaway driver.
The truck-driver did not stop and never came back. Instead, the victim is surprised by how many other people instead came to her rescue.
It's a true miracle.
"I just felt very fortunate," says Pat Stawowy, hit-and-run victim.
That's what Pat Stawowy now thinks as she looks at pictures from right after the crash.
"Until they actually saw me, they didn't know how bad it was. It looked and sounded a lot worse than it actually was. Thankfully, I walked away with real minor injuries," says Stawowy.
It was Thursday afternoon when Stawowy was driving along I-35 in Georgetown. She was heading toward Denton to see her husband, a drive she has done dozens of times before. This time was different.
Stawowy says an 18-wheeler tried to cut her off.
"It happened so quickly. I know that I tried to get over to the shoulder. I don't know if somehow I collided with him. I don't know if I bounced off the shoulder and went back into him or if he came too far over. I really don't remember," says Stawowy.
Stawowy ended up with a laceration on her head, which required staples, as well as a compression fracture on her lower vertebrae. She also has several bumps and bruises.
"When I started flipping, I was like, this is not good. Then when I landed, immediately I knew I have to get out. I can't sit in the middle of the road," says Stawowy.
While crawling out of the car, she was met with several helping hands. It's something she will forever be grateful for.
"There was an off-duty EMT. He could have left when the paramedics arrived. He stayed until they loaded me up onto the ambulance and that meant so much to have him stay there and keep me calm. A lady stopped and called my husband. She stayed there and took pictures of the accident scene for me. There was another gentleman who stopped and gave his testimony to the police department," says Stawowy.
She's surprised the truck driver didn't stop. As a result, Stawowy reached out to FOX 7 hoping someone will hear her story and come forward.
"I think we as drivers have that responsibility. If we make a mistake, we have to be accountable. We need to make sure we take care of each other," says Stawowy.
If you witnessed the crash or know anything about the runaway driver, you're asked to call the Georgetown Police Department.