DAVIDSON COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — A driver witnessed a severe crash whereas on her regular route alongside Hickory Tree Road in Davidson County.
A freeway patrol trooper tells FOX8 an impaired driver struck a gas pump, then plowed into the Circle C Mart and Smoke Shop.
The flames and smoke captured Jordynn Hastings’ consideration.
“I saw it and couldn’t believe it at first,” she mentioned.
She instantly dialed 911. Moments later she noticed a person strolling out of the flames which engulfed the gas station early Saturday morning.
“He got in the driver seat, and then got out the driver seat into the seat behind the driver seat, he was rummaging around. That’s when I started yelling like, ‘get away from there, it’s going to explode.’ He got to the corner of the parking lot, and I just ran across the road, grabbed his arm, and pulled him across, because he was very intoxicated,” Hastings mentioned.
Firefighters and the Highway Patrol acquired a number of calls reporting a truck crashed into the constructing.
The investigation revealed the driving force, 25-year-old Caleb Small, hit a gas pump, then slammed into the enterprise.
Gasoline from the gas pump ignited, inflicting the fire.
“It was tremendously hot. You think by it being 28 degrees out you couldn’t get sweaty, I was sweating standing in this spot, this fire was so hot and scary,” Hastings mentioned.
Troopers charged Small with DWI and failure to keep the lane.
“He was saying, ‘My dad is going to kill me,’ because it was his dad’s truck he got into the accident with. So, he called his parents and everything, but he was so intoxicated you can tell,” Hastings mentioned.
She says what occurred ought to remind everybody of the risks of consuming and driving.
She’s blissful nobody died or was significantly injured, and that she might react shortly.
“I got to save him, I don’t want to be the person to just drive by or something like that, I want to be that person to save someone’s life,” she mentioned.
As the vacations strategy, bear in mind there are rideshare companies to get you residence safely in case you are out consuming — or have a pal or member of the family you may name.
Getting behind the wheel is simply not value it.
FOX8 did attempt to converse to the house owners of this enterprise to discover out what’s subsequent. They declined to remark.