A local firefighter in Hillsborough County, Florida was driving to his second job after finishing an overnight shift. The firefighter, John Fragomeni, was driving down I-75, about to pass over a bridge when a he saw a flatbed truck suddenly lose control and slam into the guardrail, and fall 50 feet to the ground below.
The flatbed had been hauling a bulldozer until, for reasons unknown, the whole truck started to come apart. Later, when Fragomeni spoke with the driver, he said the driver recounted the incident saying, “”He was like I don’t know what happened. It felt like the truck was coming apart while I was driving.”
“When he hit [the guardrail], I could barely see anything there was so much smoke… and the tractor disappeared,” recalls Fragomeni. He immediately pulled over to see if he could help. When he looked over the edge of the bridge, he saw that the cab had separated from the flatbed and that the bulldozer had flown completely off and come to rest some distance away.
Fragomeni rushed down the embankment to the crash to see if there was anything they could do. To his great surprise, when he approached the cab, the driver was alive.
“The guy pokes his head out of the roof of the truck. Right then, I was breathless. I was so happy to see he was alive.”
Thanks to Fragomeni, a nearby Sheriff’s Deputy, and a nearby fisherman who carried the driver on his boat to a nearby dock where an ambulance was waiting, the driver survived. Matt Cook, the 29-year-old driver was transported to Tampa General Hospital in serious condition. Investigators currently believe that the steering on his truck failed and are investigating the cause.
Next Story: Trucker Imprisoned Without Charges For 17 Days
Source: wtsp
Holy crap!! I can guarantee you one thing; if I am ever involved in a wreck like that and survive it, the first thing I am going to do after buying new underwear is to get rid of my CDL. Glad the driver survived. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I am going to go recheck my steering components.
i would like to know what really happened…and that’s one lucky driver ..
Very Lucky the Driver survived. My husband drives a flatbed and was just recently in Florida with a Dozer. Thank god that the driver had an angel with him.
I’m very happy the driver survived, but someone needs to tell him there are easier ways to get a free truck wash!
Good Lord! I though truck rodeos were supposed to take place on a controlled space! Thank God
I don’t recall seeing a 50ft high bridge in the entire state of Florida! Where was this?
It’s a miracle that the driver was ok. That’s a great thing and he should run to the nearest store and buy a Powerball.
I would love to know what kind of tractor that is. I had a 00 freighliner have the tie
Rod come out while I was driving. I was going slow but man did that truck feel like it was coming apart.
This is what happens when you let chuck norris drive a truck