EDMONTON – A young Edmonton man whose truck flipped several times after he was struck by another vehicle in the city’s southwest Wednesday credits his seat belt for saving his life.
Omar Chua was heading home from Home Depot Wednesday afternoon and had just crossed over the Lessard Road bridge when he was struck by a white SUV.
“Very last minute before I got hit I saw a white spot in my rear-view (mirror),” Chua said Thursday. “Then all of a sudden it’s just ‘BAM’ and then spinning everywhere… While I was flipping all over, it was slow motion. But I was up for the whole thing, so I was seeing everything happening. I didn’t pass out.”
“It was like a roller coaster.”
Chua thinks his truck rolled at least three times before coming to a stop. A construction student at NAIT and a guitar player, Chua said the first thing he did was check to make sure all of his fingers were intact and moving.
He then tried to get out of the vehicle but couldn’t because his foot was trapped under the truck. He said several passersby stopped and tried to lift the vehicle off him, but they weren’t able to move the truck.
“I just stayed calm the whole time because I felt like if I panicked when my foot was stuck I would have probably passed out.”
READ MORE: Woman facing charges after 2 people seriously injured in crash in southwest Edmonton
Fire crews arrived on scene and Chua was taken to hospital. While he suffered some pretty nasty cuts and bruises-including a large, black bruise on his hip from the seat belt-Chua said he is lucky his injuries weren’t more serious.
“It’s not bad for what happened… You gotta wear your seat belts. It saved my life,” he said. “I feel blessed. Just so blessed to be alive.”
The woman driving the white Lexus SUV was taken to hospital where she remains in serious but stable condition.
Police said alcohol and drugs could be factors in the crash and charges are pending against the woman driving the Lexus.
Officers said the Lexus was seen speeding south near 178 Street and Callingwood Road before the crash.
Anyone who may have witnessed the crash is asked to call police at 780-423-4567.
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