KIRKLAND, Wash. — A 44-year-old woman was injured Thursday after she jumped out of a moving vehicle and a semitruck driver is being called a hero, said troopers.
The incident happened on the northbound lanes of Interstate 405 at Northeast 85th Street.
According to the Washington State Patrol, a driver in a semitruck saw the woman jump out in front of him and stopped to avoid hitting her.
The driver helped her out of the roadway and blocked the lanes with his truck. His truck was hit from behind by a van, but there were no injuries from the collision.
The woman was taken to Harborview Medical Center with a head injury, cuts and bruises. She is currently in serious condition.
The State Patrol told KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reporter James Schugel that the woman was being taken to her home in a Chevy Impala and was in the back seat.
The car was traveling 45 mph.
“I was there within three minutes,” recalled Washington State Patrol Trooper Christine White. “Pretty amazing on his part.”
Troopers said the woman became agitated and took her seat belt off. She put it back on when the driver told her to, but then she took it off a second time and then opened the door and jumped out.
“[The truck driver] said, ‘She put her hand out the window like she was going to grab something and out she went,’” said Whiter. “She just jumped out of the car.”
According to troopers, they do not know why the woman was agitated and jumped out of the vehicle.
“There were so many cars out there that could have hit her. Thank goodness it didn’t come to that, because of him I believe,” said White. “You never know what’s going to happen when you’re out there.”
KIRO
