Proud Hubby & I just witnessed - and were very nearly innocent victims of - a bad car accident on Swift Rd. We were driving south on Swift from North Ave - in a brand new car, ironically, just got it from the dealer - when a car came shooting across our lane toward us, airborn - it hit a telephone pole about 50 feet ahead of us on our right. Apparently the car was passing at least one car in the northbound lane. Traveling at a very high speed, of course - we have no way of knowing if it became airborn trying to avoid us or if it was already on that path when we came up on it. This happened right across from the Com Ed buildings on Swift.

We immediately pulled over, Proud Hubby & other witnesses tried to get to the victims - the car had crumpled around them; I called 911. After trucks & ambulances arrived & we gave statements, the sheriff said he wasn't optimistic the driver would make it; both victims were unconscious and Proud Hubby thought there were head injuries. The victims were two young men, in a terrible hurry, the passenger had a pizza box in his lap. One or two seconds more, we would have been between them and the telephone pole.

Will be keeping an eye out for word of the accident; I hope they make it. They weren't much older than our sons.

Wow. Is a few seconds really worth your life? This is sad but not at all surprising.

Not much more info from the Daily Herald —

Men seriously hurt in Glen Ellyn crash.

Terrible.
Reminds one of how scary driving truly is.

What a horrible thing to witness. I'm so glad you and Proud Hubby weren't injured. I'm sick just thinking about those men's families.

Scribbler, so glad you're alright....it's good to be reminded of being cautious about other drivers. Though the young men were obviously driving poorly, I do hope they will be OK.

Thanks, all. We're still shaken up a bit. And late last night we remembered that while we were at the car dealership signing papers, one of the salesmen collapsed and an ambulance was called to take him to the hospital. Then, of course, driving home - that accident.

I think we're staying home today. I can't help but feel as if we're harbingers of doom and destruction.

You know, maybe its you.

Scribbler and Proud Hubby, I am so glad that you were not part of the accident. Those young men are very fortunate to have you two level headed people to be the first on the scene.

Oh, there were many level-headed people there; thank God a nurse was jumping out of her car just as we were. Unfortunately there was nothing she could really do but reach in and try to find a pulse on each victim, which she did. She couldn't get to them to do anything else; the fire dept. had to cut them out of the car.

I think that was my most vivid recollection of the whole thing - how, immediately, there were cars pulling off to the side of the road and lots of people running up to see if they could help, call 911, etc. Good Samaritans, all.

(And on another tangent - how many lives were lost before cell phone technology? How long did it take for people to find a land line phone to call an ambulance??)

Please keep in your prayers the two young men injured in this accident - both current Glenbard West students and athletes. The thoughts and prayers of their many friends are going out to them and their families.

Oh, no - we could see they were very young men, we thought close to our boys' ages. My prayers are with them, truly - but this was an accident that clearly could have been prevented and was no one's fault but the person at the wheel. I still can't stop thinking about the fact that we were just a couple of seconds from being what they hit, instead of the pole.

The kids are all blogging and Facebooking about it this morning. THey're already planning a vigil at GBW. Pierre and Demarco are the athletes - part of the state runner-up football team. The Facebook group is "This is for Pierre and Demarco. You can join if you are so inclinded. Information on the vigil is there.

So sad that kids make these kinds of mistakes behind the wheel...assuming they made a mistake.
According to the kids on Facebook - which, of course, may be inaccurate - is that Pierre broke his neck and is on life support and that Demarco broke his pelvis and damaged his lung......

Seems like there are a few guys like this from every school, in every class. I remember something similar happening to a few guys I went to High School with, some made it, a few other . . . .well not so good.

Hopefully this will be a lesson for some other(s) who think driving like this is acceptable, fun and comes with no consequences. The police (if they don't do this already) should provide local schools driver's ed programs with photos of these accidents. Show the kids, this is what happens when you F*%k around in the car.

Well, I was there, and someone made a mistake. No ice, clear visibility; the car was very clearly going too fast, and trying to pass cars that were going the speed limit. There were a lot of cars on the road, not just ours. It's a miracle no one else was hit - and I say that knowing that it's a miracle WE weren't hit.

It's tough - I'm the parent of 2 young men and I feel badly for these young men and their families; I couldn't help but think of my own sons being in that car as we were trying to get to them. But I so very nearly missed being a victim myself. That's hard to forget.

This was entirely preventable. That's what makes it so sad for all involved.

Prayers to these boys, their families, friends and classmates. Scribbler, so happy you and your husband missed becoming part of this tragedy.

GEM, I think your comments here are despicable and cross the line. What in the hell do you mean by "a few guys like this from every school, in every class." That get into a car accidents? There is no evidence this is anything other than a tragic mistake by a young, inexperienced driver.

These boys are fighting for their lives and you want the police to use them as an example to illustrate to others "what happens when you F*%k around in the car." Really? What are you alleging they did exactly? You have never made a mistake driving? What is wrong with you?

The lesson I'd hope comes out of this is they recover, learn from this awful mistake...and by doing so, serve as a wake up call to their classmates as to how dangerous an automobile can be.

Prayers and hope for a recovery for both.

well said shrugged, Gem way too harsh.

Drivers make dumb decisions everyday, some work out and some don't. As a teen I did things I never should of and wouldn't dream of as an adult. I chose rather to use this as a teachable moment to one teen with a license and one teen with a permit. Both BTW are acquainted with these victims. Driving is a privilege and should be respected.

Maybe I read something into the posts that you may have missed Shrugged.

Scribbler clearly stated that:
The Car was airborne
The car was very clearly going too fast
The car was trying to pass others who were going the posted limit.

In my book, that's F#@king around in a car and there is no way this can be written off as inexperience.

Really, how fast do you need to go to pass another vehicle doing the legal limit?

How fast do you need to go to get the car airborne?

Weren't those boys required to take drivers ed? Weren't they required to take a test to obtain a permit? Weren't they required to practice with a licensed driver? Weren't they required to pass a written exam and driving test to obtain their license? Do you really think they would have driven that fast if one of their parents were in the car? Really?! Do you?

What would be the rational if they had killed someone? Write it off to inexperience? They didn't know that speed (can and often does) kills? They weren't aware that hitting someone else head on could inflict injury and or death?

These boys knew there was risk in that behavior. Don't kid yourself.

Hopefully they will be o.k. and hopefully others will see what happens when you allegedly F#@k around in the car.

Gem, teenagers tend to think they are impregnable, invincible, and immortal. I do hope that Little Gem skips the teenaged years and goes from adolescence directly into adulthood or you might be quite shocked at some of the things your child does as a teen!

I have to agree with shrugged and Buggy about your comments. I prefer to pray for these young men rather than judge them!

Wow. Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?

I don’t know where to start. First, why don’t you read what Scribbler actually wrote:
“...airborn...apparently the car was passing at least one car...traveling at a very high speed.”

1. The Car was airborn. Yes, a car leaving the roadway would become airborne even at the posted limit.
2. The car was very clearly going too fast. She didn’t say that, nor did she say it was speeding, she said “Traveling at a very high speed.”
3. The car was trying to pass others who were going the posted limit. No, you made that up.

There are reasons for traffic investigations, let me give you an example.

Ten or so years ago, same stretch of road, four GW teens on their way to school at dawn, cross the center line and slam head on into my neighbor, who fights for his life, hospital for over a month, partially disabled as a result. Four teens “f#@king” around right? No. Their vehicle slipped off the right shoulder (which was not filled with gravel and very deep), driver panicked, overcompensated and lost control of the vehicle and steered it into the other lane. Was that apparent to the witnesses at the scene or even the first responders? No.

You don’t know what happened here GEM and you shouldn’t speculate and jump to conclusions based on hearsay. And I can’t believe I even have to state this, but you certainly shouldn’t post your cold, inappropriate, heartless thoughts here while these kids lie in a hospital bed. They are members of this community, classmates of our kids, somebody’s son for Christ’s sake and just kids. You sir, should be ashamed of yourself. Just because you think it, doesn't mean you should type it.

Prayers and hope to these guys.