Peace On That

2:03am - I am awaken to three loud crashes. I look out the window and I see a small SUV bent out of shape.

2:04am - I call the 911. It takes several rings for them to pick up. After four rings someone answers the phone.

911: nine one one can I help you.

me: there's been a serious accident outside of (edit, ya'll don't need to know where I live).

911: Hold on, let me transfer you to LAPD

me: (putting on clothes) ok

911: Nine one one can I help you.

me: (rushing out the door) There's been a serious accident outside of (edit)

911: Is there anyone hurt.

me: I don't know. I'm running down stairs right now.

Two minutes later I arrive downstairs to see four vehicles piled up in a serious accident.

2:06am: I start helping some guys pull a girl that is stuck in her vehicle. There is a paramedic crew on the scene. One girl is pulled from the car but the driver is stuck. He car is bent, window smashed and gas leaking from gas.

There is a Nissan smashed into the side. The engine is still running and gas is leaking from it as well. I go to check if someone is in the Nissan since the windows are smoked out. There is no one inside. A guy yells to me to turn off the engine. I reach inside and shut turn the ignition.

About 2:10: My neighbor and I check on a guy in a large SUV. He is just sitting in the truck bleeding from the face. I his in shock so I start asking him questions. My neighbor calls upstairs to request that someone throw down a towel. The man says that he is fine but he keeps repeating, 'I don't know what happened. I was in my lane.' I ask him if he wants to get out of the truck but he doesn't respond. My neighbor hands him a towel but he wipes his face a little and returns to repeating the same line he's been telling me for two minutes.

We go around to the driver side and try to open the door. We can't. Although the brunt of the damage is on the passenger side, the frame is bent and there is no way to open any of the doors. He says that he is ok so I return to the small SUV.

There is no way of getting the woman out of the small SUV. Four men are trying to pull but the car is too badly damaged.

2:15am: The street is covered with police and the fire department. The police make those that were trying to help leave the scene and start interviewing some of the drivers.

2:19am: The woman that was driving the Nissan is standing between my neighbor and I. We both have our hands on her shoulder as she is in shock. I asked her if she has called anyone. She replies that everyone is asleep. I tell her to call again and keep calling until someone answers. Finally, she gets someone on the phone but the paramedic demand that she go to the ambulance for a checkup. I take the phone and tell the guy on the other end what is happening.

2:40am: I return to my place.

2:51am: I hear screaming. They finally remove the young lady from the small SUV.

3:08am: I can hear them interviewing one of the drivers on the accident but I can't make out what they are saying. Based on what I saw, it looks as though the small SUV was attempting to switch lanes at the same time the Nissan was. The small SUV had to stop while the Nissan kept going. The Nissan then smashed into the front half of the small SUV. The, very large pickup truck and the large SUV were secondary accidents. The large pickup must have turned to avoid the accident, crashing into the large SUV.

3:13am: Fire trucks start to depart. Cleanup crew on hand. Brotha James ready himself for some sleep.

I will check the newspapers for pictures. It looks as though everyone survived. This makes a total of four accidents that I know of since I've moved here. LA may be a car kind of place but they can't drive worth a damn. This is a major street but the treat it like a NASCAR racetrack. Slow down people. It's better to get there late than not get there at all.