It was one of those nights!

[JSPhoto]

Well it started off as a normal night, but the basketball game got out of hand so quick I left early, I hate watching the teams I shoot get slaughtered. And the other team had a 20 point lead, so off I went. I had to stop at a gas station and while there I talked to a couple deputies that cover my area of the county so I filled them in on the heart issues. As I left I made the mistake of saying those famous last words "have a quiet night".
One of the first rules of news photography is "don't become part of the story", but there are times you really have no choice in the matter.
I'm driving home and come up to a bend in the road and realize the truck coming at me was litterally coming at me..... in MY lane! I do a quick right turn and I'm driving on the berm and grass, and hoping he doesn't hit me. He gets past me and I see the line of cars behind me all hit the shoulder as well. I grab the cell phone and call 911, by the time dispatch puts it out to the deputies fire side is dispatching for an "inverted vehicle" on the road South of where I just came from so I turn around and head to the scene. When I get there I tell one of the deputies I had called in the 10-55 (wreckless driver). They got my info and I'll probably have to go to court but it's worth getting this guy off the road! I also got some photos of the scene for the paper but wished I hadn't left the flash at home.
Needless to say I was a bit shaky for a while afterwards. Be carefull driving home after a job folks!

JS

[dhyravy]

Sounds like one of those nights you tell stories about for sure! Glad you managed to avoid being part of the accident. Right before I had surgery 10 years ago, a friend and I were following an old 2 ton truck hauling a large load of old railcar wheels to the scrapyard. Next thing you know he veered a little to the right and fell off of the shoulder which resulted in him over correcting. Right as he crossed the center line there was a loaded dump truck coming in the opposing lane. They hit almost head-on. The dump truck was not badly damaged but the emergency squad had to cut him out of that old truck. We barely avoided rear ending him when they hit. A coach I had in HS said something that applies here I think, "I'd rather be lucky than good any day"!

[JSPhoto]

Yeah, I agree luck has a lot to do with it Daniel, but thats like 6 times this year I was almost hit headon, three times in that stretch of road! Nothing beats the one in Pa. though when I litterally had to take the other lane to keep from getting hit headon in a curve. Those poor deputies were just about to get off duty..... I heard one of them was still working at 2am and he was supposed to be off at 11pm

JS

[retroactiv]

Hey, it's the life you chose and for some reason its us in the media that seem to get caught in the crap. You did a nice job of getting some shots for the paper for it even though you were shaken. I hope that all is loud for you tonight (hopefully that will help things out).

[JSPhoto]

There were two more since then, one guy hit the guardrail on I70 leaving his whole frontend there and kept going. The deputies got him at exit 96 (Mt Comfort) and had to call for medics.... he was messed up from the wreck.
Then tonight some guy almost hit two cars headon, wiped out mailboxes as he made his way home but the one witness followed him the whole way and the deputies arrested him after doing field tests.... he got "leaving the scene of an accident x5 for all the mailboxes he wiped out.
Oh, the editor for the weekly paper said if the daily didn't use the photos they would.

Needless to say the roads are dangerous at this time of year.... BE CAREFUL!! And don't drink and drive!

JS

[brmill26]

Gosh, that's scary stuff John. I hope your guardian angel is getting over time pay ;) Nice job getting the shots, too - now that's a true professional! I know it's probably too dark/color based for the paper, but the first shot of the cop cars is really cool.

[JSPhoto]

Yeah it was a bit scarey.... Ok, more than a bit :blush2: Glad you liked that shot, I did too, it's different than your normal shot of police lights, but I didn't have the flash with so I used what I had light wise. The litter from the ambulance is right in front of the car nearest me, odd the headlights aren't showing it better, but it's there.
I managed to work tonight with no incidents of course it was a high school and middle school Xmas band concert

John

[ciddog91]

When I work, I always want to grab my camera to shoot some or the stuff we see, but I don't think it is what most really want to see even if they say they do.

Those poor deputies were just about to get off duty..... I heard one of them was still working at 2am and he was supposed to be off at 11pm

I understand the plight of these guys. The last 3 days I was to be off at 6:30am, but due to accidents (2 fatal) I had to work a little longer (ie 11:00am ish). But it is the chosen profession, and overtime is ok.

John,

I hope you can get by for a few weeks without having to see or deal with this again. Stay safe, there are a lot of people who want to try their luck, watch out for them.

BTW... Nice shots..

Phil

[JSPhoto]

Thanks Phil,

I did have to go out yesterday to a serious crash, one person was taken by chopper to the hospital. It's a totaly different thing though than when your actually part of it.

John

When I work, I always want to grab my camera to shoot some or the stuff we see, but I don't think it is what most really want to see even if they say they do.



I understand the plight of these guys. The last 3 days I was to be off at 6:30am, but due to accidents (2 fatal) I had to work a little longer (ie 11:00am ish). But it is the chosen profession, and overtime is ok.

John,

I hope you can get by for a few weeks without having to see or deal with this again. Stay safe, there are a lot of people who want to try their luck, watch out for them.

BTW... Nice shots..

Phil