[DeTomaso] NPC - Guardrail vs. SUV

Thu Sep 16 22:07:25 EDT 2010

Be careful out there, okay?
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A motorist from Washington state had quite a scare north of DeerLodge last week

when a guardrail turned his SUV into a virtualshish kabob.

The driver of a Chevy Suburban fell asleep while driving in theeastbound lane

of Interstate 90 on Sept. 2. His vehicle drifted offthe road and collided head on

with the guardrail, according toMontana Highway Patrol Sgt. Jason Hildenstab.

The guardrailliterally impaled the vehicle by penetrating through the engineblock

and exiting the rear window, just missing the driver.

"He didn't even have a scratch on him," Hildenstab said aboutthe 21-year-old driver.

The trooper said it was lucky the motorist was driving solo,because the guardrail

went through the passenger seat.

"If he had a passenger with him, it would have killed him,"Hildenstab said.

The driver, Andy Dangerfield of Pullman, Wash., told the trooperhe had left Washington

early that morning on his way to Idaho.About 11:30 a.m., he started to get tired and

must have fallenasleep as he was approaching Deer Lodge.

Dangerfield was cited with careless driving.

The crash left the driver badly shaken, according toHildenstab.

"He was walking around like a ghost when I got to the scene,"the trooper said.

In all his years with the highway patrol, Hildenstab said he'snever seen an accident 

ike that. He said guardrails are designedto crumple on impact. The trooper estimated

that about 30 yards ofguardrail traveled through the vehicle before it came to rest.

Photos here:

http://i.imgur.com/B2QSR.jpg