A San Francisco reporter came within inches of being run over by a runaway car Tuesday morning while reporting live on the air.
Alex Savidge, who works for the San Francisco Bay-area news outlet KTVU News, was doing a live report on the morning news on a train derailment in Alameda County when the unthinkable happened.
You can hear the sound of cars colliding, before an out-of-control Toyota Scion careens into frame and slams into the camera – and over the spot where Savidge was standing just a second before.
Though it can barely be heard in the video, Savidge says a shout from his cameraman Chip Vaughan alerted him to the oncoming danger – and not a moment too soon.
“Tell them you’re ok!” you can hear Vaughan shout in the seconds after the crash – referring to both the control room and the viewers watching at home.
Once he had a moment to gather himself, Savidge delivered a more personal message.
“I don’t know if my wife… she’s not watching,” Savidge said on the live broadcast moments later. “I haven’t been able to call her. I just want to tell my wife I’m ok.”
An emotional Savidge then invited Vaughan into frame to thank him.
“I want to bring Chip out here,” Savidge said while fighting back tears. “I just want to thank Chip for…well, thanks buddy.”
The reporter later tweeted out a message saying he was ok, and thanking people who happened to be watching for their concern.
“My heart’s racing like crazy! Almost got hit by a car live on air, but I’m OK-Thanks everyone for your concern.”
KTVU reports that Fremont Police were called to the scene of the accident and are investigating. It is not yet clear who is at fault for the accident or even what caused the collision.
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