Las Cruces Woman Escapes Death After Dukes Of Hazzard Style Jump
No, it wasn’t Evil Knievel, but a Las Cruces woman who escaped death Tuesday morning after her SUV cleared a 40 foot ditch and crashed into the property of USA Can Recycling Warehouse.
The vehicle came to a rest at 2180 West Hadley Avenue near 17th Street.
USA Can Recycling Warehouse employee Rene Gutierrez arrived moments after the crash happened and shot video of the scene.
?You say she hit that cactus so she went down?? Gutierrez asked. ?Nope, she didn?t go down, she flew across [the ditch], there?s the impact right there,? a Las Cruces Police officer responded.
?She must have been flying, she was lucky,? Gutierrez said.
Although Gutierrez and others witnessed the aftermath, security cameras outside USA Can Recycling Warehouse as well as a neighboring business, Chaparral Cable Company, captured the entire crash on tape.
“Words can’t describe it,? Gutierrez said. ?We were just so amazed how far she flew.”
The slow motion video of 31 year old Amanda Tarin shows her Suzuki SUV veer onto the curb, launch into the air, and clear a 40 foot ditch.
The video shows a fireball erupt when the vehicle smacks the concrete on the other side. The SUV then flips over and lands upside down on the Warehouse property.
“It was amazing the ditch didn’t stop her,? Gutierrez said. ?It was amazing she continued going.?
Police say, Tarin told them her steering wheel locked. But it?s a miracle she was transported to a local area hospital with only minor injuries.
Gutierrez says if it were not for the watchful eyes of camera, there would have been know way of knowing exactly what happened.
?If this person just hit the fence they could have ran off without us even knowing,? Gutierrez said. ?And we would have had to pay for the damages on our property.”
Gutierrez says the security camera footage will be used for insurance purposes to replace a fence destroyed by the crash.
“As for a business I think [security cameras] are an absolute,? Gutierrez said. Especially for break-ins, accidents, and damage to the property.”
Citation for the driver are pending the outcome of the investigation.
