Nasty Z4MC crash...anyone on here ?

[Nhopkins1394]

Did you read the comments from the link.
My fav..." It'll buff out no problem"

Glad you're OK.
Anxious to hear the story.

I never hear the Mousich story about his wreck. I thought he deferred, because of a legal issue. Did he ever tell all?

[Shipkiller]

Originally Posted by azadian2b

And how you managed to live...

I don't think you quite understand just how tough and safe our cars are.

My old boss had an 2004 Z4 Roadster and totaled it on the interstate. At 85MPH, lost a tire, crashed into the jersey barrier, bounced across the highway into the other jersey barriers on the other side, then back accross into the other side again. Then was struck by a SUV doing 45MPH. The only injury he had was a bruise on his arm...

All air bags deployed and the bags kept him wedged to the seat.

Tough little bastards, they are.....

[azadian2b]

You're right. I said it initially because it looked like there were huge hunks of metal in the drivers seat. However, on second inspection it does not look like the metal was deformed into the cabin from impact, but are door panels/bumper pieces after put there after the fact.
Either way thank goodness the driver survived.

[Preyhunter]

Still working on my write up of what happened. Yes, what you see in the passenger compartment are the driver side door, the hood, and the front bumper. The passenger compartment held up quite well, except for the dash area of the driver side passenger compartment. I will include a link to more pictures when I post the write up. Please pardon the amount of time it is taking me to respond with what happened.

[r4gs]

wow, glad to know that u're safe and sound. indeed, would be curious to know what happened considering i'm also a resident in texas where the country roads are very empty (save for those damn deer!) and relatively straight.

[Preyhunter]

First of all...if anyone wants to tell me how much of a dumbass I am for the things I've done, save your breath. I think I've already shown myself. Also, I THINK I'm in the clear at this point legally. The passenger is not pressing any charges and it's been almost 5 months since the accident, so I think any criminal charges by the DA would have been done by now.

Most of the information here is what I've gathered from third parties. I don't have much memory from the time I got into the car until I woke up in the ER. Nearly all of the info came from doctors, emergency responders, the accident report, etc.

This is not a linear story. I'm breaking it down into categories. It's easier for me to remember more if I categorize things. My memory hasn't been what it used to be before the accident.

Ok, here goes...

Accident Details:
I left a party at approximately midnight on June 20. The accident occurred within 5 miles of the location of the party. By my calculations, the accident happened no later than 12:15am. The accident was called in at 1:39am and police were on the scene at 1:43am. The car was resting on the roof and had to be righted before we could be extracted. The driver side door was cut off with the jaws of life to extract me and the roof was cut with the jaws of life at the A pillars and bent back to extract the passenger. I was transported to JPS and the passenger was transported to Harris Methodist as to not place an undue strain on a single trauma unit. It is my suspicion that the emergency responders were not sure that either of us would survive. I was informed that “life saving measures” were performed on the passenger. My wife received a call from the hospital between 2:30am and 3:00am to inform her that I was in the hospital and that she needed to get there as soon as she could without putting her own health in jeopardy.

What I Remember:
Note: These are things that I THINK I remember. I'm not sure if these are actual memories, of if my brain is attempting to fill in the blanks and I assume them to be true. The hospital memories have been confirmed.

-Leaving the party and getting into the vehicle.
-Driving past the house where the party took place.
-Watching the speedometer. Passing 140mph and turning to tell the passenger that this is the fastest I've ever been. (My previous top speed was 140mph in my 1996 Ford Mustang GT that was chipped and had a drop-in filter. It was not quick, but it was fast.)
-The “Oh shit!” moment when the first tire impacted the curb. I also seem to recall hoping that it wouldn't take too much to repair the damage in the split second after that moment.
-Waking up in the ER being extremely thirsty and asking everyone I came in contact with to get me a drink of water.
-Waking up in the ER and removing my oxygen tube from my nose because it was drying out my nasal passages.
-Waking up in the ER and removing my neck brace with my right hand because it was hindering me from talking to my wife and looking around my surroundings.
-Waking up while being wheeled down the hallway from the ER to Observation. All I remember is watching the lights in the ceiling go by. I remember thinking to myself, “This is just like in the movies when someone is being wheeled down the hallway and all they see is light after light passing by from bottom to top.”
-A couple of days in Observation waiting to go into surgery. My surgery was delayed a couple of times and I remember eating only once in two days.
-Just prior to going into surgery, I was being wheeled down the hallway and I saw someone putting something into my injection port and thinking “Won't be long before I'm asleep.”
-Waking up after surgery thinking how right I was with my previous thought.
-Being wheeled out of the hospital to the car to be taken home. That was one of the longest car rides I've ever had.
-I don't remember much of the next month after getting home from the hospital. I spent the entire time living in a recliner. I couldn't sleep in a bed or on a couch. I slept, was bathed, fed, etc. in that recliner for at least a month.

Injuries:

My injuries:
-Concussion
-Bruised ribs
-Bruised lungs
-Broken left arm in 3 places (ulna bone broken once, radius bone broken twice) http://picasaweb.google.com/thepreyhunter/ArmSurgery#
-Broken right ankle (non-displaced fracture)
-Multiple gashes on both legs at the knees and below
-Left knee, left wrist, left elbow, left shoulder with multiple issues (non-fractured)

Passenger injuries:
-Concussion
-Bleeding on the brain
-Broken right shoulder blade
-Right elbow nerve damage

The passenger compartment held up quite well. The dash on the driver's side intruded into the passenger compartment quite a bit, but it doesn't appear that it was too bad (I'm still alive). It pinned my legs and gashed my shins to the point that I thought both of my legs were broken at one point.

Photos less than 12 hours before the accident:
These photos were taken after the 3rd coat of wax was applied on the afternoon of June 19th:..
http://picasaweb.google.com/thepreyh...eat=directlink

Photos after the accident:
My wife took these photos on 6/28/10 I believe...
http://picasaweb.google.com/thepreyh...eat=directlink

Here is a link to the pictures of the actual accident site. I didn't just hit the curb as I left the roadway, I also hit a concrete storm drain outlet in the field where I left the roadway. It had to be pure "dumb luck" to hit the only thing that was located in the entire field area where the accident occurred.

http://picasaweb.google.com/thepreyhunter/AccidentSite#

As for the question of whether or not alcohol was involved, the accident report does not list alcohol as a contributing factor and the police department did not request a BAC test at the hospital. One of the things that the passenger was pressured to pursue was charges of intoxication assault. The passenger refused to do so.

As to how I am now, you wouldn't know that the passenger or I were involved in such an accident by looking at us. I still hurt in the arm when lifting things or putting sideways pressure on the arm that was broken. I often hurt my arm when leaning on things because one of the screw heads is very close to the skin on the outside of my arm and it causes the skin to get caught between two solid objects. You can feel the screw head and the plate just beneath the skin toward the wrist. My right ankle still gets quite sore at times and becomes painful when bearing additional weight, but I walk normally otherwise. I begin physical therapy next week for my left shoulder. My left knee clicks when I walk down stairs. My memory before the accident was not very good and is even worse since. The passenger had to have the scalp stapled shut and had a surgery on the right arm to move a major nerve in the elbow that had been displaced due to the accident.

No mods had been done to the car other than the stubby antenna. I was ready to tint the windows and do some audio upgrades at the time of the accident. I bought it used and had only made 3 payments on it.

If you have any other questions, please reply with them.

[Z4Murder]

glad youre ok man. car looked incredible before

[lstratos]

Holy! How are you now, physically, walk normal ? good movements in arm and legs ? I just never talk to someone the ever went through that much injury, curious to know how much pain you have today.. I'm assuming you're in physical therapy or something ?

[Nikki]

Wow, that is an emotional story. Thanks for the write up. I hope this helps to remind everyone (myself included) that just because our cars can reach speeds of 140+mph doesn't mean it's OK to try this on the road. Glad to hear you and your passenger are OK.

[Swashplate]

or how quick things can go pear shaped.

[pokeybritches]

Thank you for the openness and story. Very glad you survived.

[onebluemcm]

I'm pretty speechless.


Things that come to mind:
People get killed going half or less than the reported speed in this story. You sir and your passenger are truly lucky. I guess the car must be credited as well, but, that said, something or someone had to have been watching over you....and I'm not really all that religious or spiritual of a person.

You mention a party - I can't be the only one wondering if alcohol was involved. I personally assume not since you didn't mention it. Goes to show even without such a thing, one must always question their own judgement. OP - I respect your hindsight on this, must be really rough having had a passenger and all, not to mention injuries and all the aftermath. I hope you have and have had all the support you need.

It must have not hit anything substantially fixed to the ground in the accident - maybe this was part of the reason you all survived such a horrific wreck. I just mean, you see in the news all the time, wherever you live, where cars hit trees of poles or what not like that, fixed to the ground, at much, much slower speeds are are quite unfortunate....

Obviously, I too am glad to hear there were no fatalities and as I said before, I hope you are getting all that you need to help you recover psychologically and physically alike. Best of luck and best regards....

[Preyhunter]

I guess I didn't finish my original post. I will likely edit the original as I remember things that I initially forgot to include.

Here is a link to the pictures of the actual accident site. I didn't just hit the curb as I left the roadway, I also hit a concrete storm drain outlet in the field where I left the roadway. It had to be pure "dumb luck" to hit the only thing that was located in the entire field area where the accident occurred.

http://picasaweb.google.com/thepreyhunter/AccidentSite#

Also, here's a link to the post-op pics of my arm, if interested.

http://picasaweb.google.com/thepreyhunter/ArmSurgery#

As for the question of whether or not alcohol was involved, the accident report does not list alcohol as a contributing factor and the police department did not request a BAC test at the hospital. One of the things that the passenger was pressured to pursue was charges of intoxication assault. The passenger refused to do so.

As to how I am now, you wouldn't know that the passenger or I were involved in such an accident by looking at us. I still hurt in the arm when lifting things or putting sideways pressure on the arm that was broken. I often hurt my arm when leaning on things because one of the screw heads is very close to the skin on the outside of my arm and it causes the skin to get caught between two solid objects. You can feel the screw head and the plate just beneath the skin toward the wrist. My right ankle still gets quite sore at times and becomes painful when bearing additional weight, but I walk normally otherwise. I begin physical therapy next week for my left shoulder. My left knee clicks when I walk down stairs. My memory before the accident was not very good and is even worse since. The passenger had to have the scalp stapled shut and had a surgery on the right arm to move a major nerve in the elbow that had been displaced due to the accident.

No mods had been done to the car other than the stubby antenna. I was ready to tint the windows and do some audio upgrades at the time of the accident. I bought it used and had only made 3 payments on it.

[Finnegan]

Wow. Despite the injuries I'm surprised it wasn't worse....

It looks like the dirt dissipated some of the speed prior to the storm drain. Tough car as well.

Best wishes for your recovery.

[JB 007]

Glad you are ok man...Really

[Endless619]

Wow, amazing you survived and I have been in a similiar accident right after a party as well and ended up speeding off a cliff up in the mountains and rolling 7 times. I was the passenger so I can totally relate to this. Very similiar injuries I must add. I can't believe how similiar this story is. I literally froze when I read this.

Thanks for the write-up and again I am glad you guys are alive.

[chickdr]

Originally Posted by Preyhunter

As for the question of whether or not alcohol was involved, the accident report does not list alcohol as a contributing factor and the police department did not request a BAC test at the hospital.

Is this what you meant to say? I am surprised they wouldn't have at least checked to confirm even if they did not suspect alcohol was a factor. I remember one time I was stopped for speeding. As I exited my car the high side bolsters(not my M, but a Jetta GLI) made my exit from the drivers seat less than gracefully. The officer asked if I had been drinking(I had not consumed a drop). I said no and he asked if I would take a breathalizer to confirm. I agreed and when it came up 0.0 he said "honest man".

The way I am reading you neither confirm, nor deny you were drinking. Maybe you truly don't remember with the head injury. In any event, glad you lived to tell the tale. Quite a story and great documentation.

[vicj]

I agree. Just because the police didn't TEST for it, doesn't mean alcohol wasn't involved. I, too, noticed the carefully crafted non-denial. But whether or not you were drinking, 140MPH? On a public road?? Really???

You AND your passenger should consider yourselves far more than just lucky that you're irresponsibility didn't kill you both. Divine intervention maybe. Make your second chance in life count for something....

[onebluemcm]

Originally Posted by vicj

I agree. Just because the police didn't TEST for it, doesn't mean alcohol wasn't involved. I, too, noticed the carefully crafted non-denial. But whether or not you were drinking, 140MPH? On a public road?? Really???

You AND your passenger should consider yourselves far more than just lucky that you're irresponsibility didn't kill you both. Divine intervention maybe. Make your second chance in life count for something....

Preyhunter seems to get his errors and the true gravity of the situation - somehow, I don't doubt that he's been "raked over the coals" so to speak about the foolishness here. Because of that, I almost don't want to chime in but....yeah, 100+, not to mention 140 and those pics show a pretty good curve in the road too.....some serious issues with that.

To me, just more support, more of a reality check, for why everyone needs to question their own judgement especially when enjoying these amazing cars.....for the sake of safety people....

[RBull]

This is an amazing thing to come away from alive. You and your passenger are very fortunate.

It really makes one open their eyes about driving a car at such speeds, on the public road and in darkness.

It's also quite a recollection and documentation of the events. Thanks for posting and best wishes to you and your passenger.

[BMW Maniac]

What kind of exhaust is that? It looks better than stock.

I think we've all done stupid things, just glad you and the passenger were able to survive such a horrific accident.

[crfine88]

Thank you for your honesty. I think this serves as a very strong mental "speed check" for everyone who owns a fast car.

It is an emotional story that many of us can relate to. I am very happy to hear that you and your passenger have surrvived.

I wish you full mental and physical recovery