car swerves into sec truck and causes trk to roll and hang over edge of overpass...

VIDOR -

A truck driver is lucky to be alive thanks to a group of fast acting people. They rescued him from his eighteen wheeler Friday morning after his truck hit another car and slid into a retaining wall on Interstate 10 at Highway 12.

The accident that happened just before 6:45 a.m., backed up traffic for several hours and the driver was left stranded in the cab of the truck, dangling over the overpass.

At the time of the accident Tony Baumgartner was on his way to work, when he saw the wreck.

“The 18 wheeler looked like the cab was dangling off of the bridge,” Tony Baumgartner, hero said.

When the 9-year Army veteran got to the cab, he could see it was unstable and could fall at any moment.

“Maybe a couple of stories,” Baumgartner said.

But that was not the only danger, diesel was leaking out of the truck. Baumgartner calls the moment is surreal but he could not get caught up in his emotions.

“Your heart is beating and you have to suppress that,” Baumgartner said. “I had a little flutter.”

With quick thinking Baumgartner grabbed a tow strap from another man, wrapped it around his waist and using his hands lowered the man to safety.

“In the back of my mind I am thinking oh my God, I do not want to drop this man after I just coerced him into climbing out of the cab so we can lower him down,” Baumgartner said.

The West Orange-Stark High School graduate successfully lowered the man to safety, right as many first responders began to arrive. It was only after the father of two left the scene, did his emotions begin to swell.

“I did not go to tears, but it was overwhelming,” Baumgartner said.

DPS says the both drivers involved in the accident will be fine. Baumgartner said he was not alone this morning and that several other men also help save the stranded truck driver.

http://www.12newsnow.com/story/27982099/interstate-10-accident

 

It wasn't the drivers fault...tx DPS ruled the Nissan sedan swerved into the truck causing the accident...it's in that article.