Hummer crashes into distracted driver to prevent tragedy
General Motors Corp. Hummers are seen on the sales lot of Williamson Cadillac Hummer on March 30, 2009 in Miami, Florida.
Canadian police credit a quick-thinking, selfless Hummer driver with preventing tragedy by placing himself between a distracted driver and four kids in a crosswalk.
Darrell Krushelnicki was exiting an Edmonton, Alberta mall on Friday afternoon when he noticed a car speeding toward an intersection.
The driver was talking on a cellphone, Krushelinicki said, and passing cars stopped for the children trying to cross the road.
Krushelinicki said it was obvious that the driver of a 2007 Pontiac G5 was going to hit the four pedestrians.
Instead, he drove into the road and collided with the Pontiac.
“I felt fortunate to be where I was, when I was,” said Krushelinicki, 46. “This could have been a terrible tragedy.”
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Police issued a notice today saying they charged 23-year-old John Troy Heitzman with dangerous driving; Krushelinicki received no tickets.
Witnesses interviewed by police maintain that Krushelnicki’s actions saved the lives of all four children.
It’s illegal in the province of Alberta to use hand-held electronic devices like cellphones, GPS units, MP3 players or video games while driving.
Dangerous driving carries a $402 fine and six demerit points.
Drivers are allowed to use hands-free mobile devices that are activated by a single touch or voice activated.
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