Driver Speaks Out About His Rescue On Pennsylvania, Route 309

[spacer size=”10″]54-year-old, Tennessee driver, James Dyson spent four hours last week trapped in the wreckage of his truck.

Dyson had been traveling south on Route 309 in Pennsylvania at the time of the accident. He ran a red light and struck another tractor-trailer, causing an accident that closed Route 309 for a total of seven hours.[/spacer]
54-year-old, Tennessee driver, James Dyson spent four hours last week trapped in the wreckage of his truck.

Dyson had been traveling south on Route 309 in Pennsylvania at the time of the accident. He ran a red light and struck another tractor-trailer, causing an accident that closed Route 309 for a total of seven hours.

When emergency responders reached the scene on February 14th, they were prepared for the worst – doctors and a trauma surgeon were called to the crash site as a precautionary measure. Some of the responders even made bets with Dyson as to whether or not he would be needing surgery after the rescue. – It was originally assumed that Dyson would be needing an amputation.

Lehigh Valley Hospital has sent 5 members of medical personnel to Route 309 truck crash, including a surgeon & OR nurse, spokesman said.

— Sarah M. Wojcik (@Sarah_M_Wojcik) February 14, 2014

Miraculously, Dyson only has a few blisters from an antifreeze spill, some swelling in his legs, and a few scratches. He is expected to make a full recovery. – He won the bet!

The second truck was driven by 41-year-old Pavel Pilipchuk – he was not injured in the accident.

According to Dyson (a driver of 16 years) he had been approaching the red light, when he realized that he was unable to stop. Dyson stated that, “There was nothing I could do. I was trying to stop, but it just kept going. I’d just like everybody to know that I did not intentionally run that red light. I know that I went through the intersection, but it wasn’t because I didn’t try to stop.”

Tractor-trailer slammed into the side of another @ Route 309 and Center Valley Parkway http://t.co/9MsNNLVTer pic.twitter.com/kOY7xhJgqf

— Sarah Cassi (@SarahCassi) February 14, 2014

Dyson has over one million miles under his belt, was hauling 42,000 pounds of breakfast food, and was right on schedule to deliver. He hadn’t been in a hurry.

The driver mentioned in an interview after the accident that he felt someone had been watching over him that day – he remembers a Saint Christopher medallion (pinned onto his sun visor by his wife) being the first thing he remembers seeing after the accident.

Dyson has also expressed gratitude for the efficiency and skill of the rescue workers that freed him from the truck. “They did a really superb job. I can’t thank them enough.”

They cause of the accident is currently under investigation by the Upper Saucon Township Police Department.

Sources
Lehigh Valley Live
The Morning Call