Accident on way to game

[RookieDude]

Had something happen last Saturday enroute to do a Regional Basketball game in Washington State. Thought I would share the experience with some fellow officials and see if any of you have had similar situations.

I was driving to the game with my partner to a location about 125 miles away. We left plenty early so we would get there about 2 hours before game time. Other games were being played so we could watch some ball before our game.

About 30 miles prior to our destination, Wenatchee, WA along the Coulumbia River, we rounded a bend in the road.
Dust and debris was flying and there in the road was a vehicle turned on its side with an individual laying in the middle of the two lane highway. We were the first on the scene. Another vehcile was in the ditch, with the front end smashed completely in. This was not going to be good.
I had the cell phone in my hand as we got out to survey the scene. I was telling the 911 operator our position, or trying to, I didn't know the highway's number...HWY 28. I did have the milepost down, 18, and relayed that information along with what town we had just left, Quincy.
Anyway, as I was talking to the operator the vehicle on its side burst into flames...I told the operator I had to go as I also noticed an individual hanging out of the front windshield of the vehicle which was now catching on fire.
My partner yelled to get away from the vechicle as he thought it would explode any minute. I said we had to pull this guy out of the vehicle as it was burning. He ran to get help from the school bus that just pulled up, happen to be the school we were going to officiate. I tryed to pull the guy out of the car by myself but couldn't do it. I yelled for a guy that had just came upon the scence to help me. Between the two of us, we dragged the individual out of the front windshield. I felt for a pulse, but unfortunately there was none. The vehicle was totally engulfed in flames about a minute later, so I couldn't see if there was anyone else in the van. (Fortunately there wasn't) By now my partner had got back with a first aid kit and the woman bus driver holding it. We dragged the guy that was in the middle of the road (it was getting hot from close proximity to the burning vehicle) off to the side so she could work on him. She did fantastic...there was some pretty gory stuff she had to do.

As for the other vechicle...unfortunately the driver was a grandfather to a player on one of the teams we were going to officiate. He was slumped over on his daughter in the passenger seat...the player's mom. The player's uncle was in the back seat. The grandfather didn't make it...he died on the scene. The mother and uncle were taken to the hospital after the firemen cut them out with the jaws of life. They are going to make it. The passenger of the burning vehicle is still in intensive care at Harborview in Seattle, WA.

We got to the gym, after a long delay on the highway, at about the time the game was suppose to have been played.
Game management cancelled the game as many students were of course upset about one of there own's family member so tragically passing away. The game was a seeding game for State, so they just flipped a coin for seeding purposes.

Sorry, for the length of this post...but it seems to help to talk about it with fellow officials.

Thanks,
Dan

[SamIAm]

Good post. I think the correct decisions were made. I think it would be difficult to call a good game in that circumstance.

[Dan_ref]

Hey Rook, good job.

[zebraman]

Well done RookieDude. Sounds like you remained calm in the midst of chaos which is what referees do the best.

z

[williebfree]

Thanks for sharing your life altering experience with us. I get the sense you were one of the individuals who was able to provide leadership and bring a sense of order.

My prayers to you and all involved.

[ChuckElias]

That's a hard day, Rook. Good job. Hope the guy in ICU makes it.

[Back In The Saddle]

Certainly puts things like basketball into proper prespective. Good job.

[rockyroad]

Thanks for sharing this, Dan...very unfortunate situation, but you are to be commended and applauded for what you did...not many would run to a burning vehicle like that. You are a hero to that family.

[RookieDude]

Thanks for the kind words of encouragement guys.

The lady bus driver was the true hero...she worked hard actually doing first aid on the one individual. In fact my partner, George, called the Superintendent of the school she drives for...Connell, WA...and told him what a good job she did. The local newspaper, Tri-City Herald, picked up the news of her good deed and did an article on her. The reporter didn't get a chance to talk to me, but my partner talked to her.
The acident happened March 6th. A partial article was in the Sports Page Sunday, March 7th...and the article on the Bus Driver was Thursday, March 11th
Here is the 3/11/04 story if you are interested. "Passion story"

http://www.tricityherald.com/tch/loc...-4776089c.html


[Edited by RookieDude on Mar 12th, 2004 at 01:52 PM]

[Bart Tyson]

Thanks RookieDude

[ace]

Man Rookie, Way to be in control. This has been a pretty rough year for us officials, between the kid that died in my game and your incident today. But whats weird is, as human as we are and as mechanical as we become during a game you would think that our humanity side would take over and we loose sight over what needs to be done. In my situation is was - making sure someone had 911 on the phone. clearing the players out of the Gym before paramedics got there, and clearing the spectators once EMS did arrive... Most people my age would be freaking out.

I give you props man, Its tough to remain calm and inchrage when things around you are falling apart but you have to do what you have to do and you did it. You deserve a cold one. Talking about these kind of things really help the situation. The more I talk about it the better I feel. We're coming up on the 2 month anniversery of Brent's death. The first one was a lil tough, im hopingthis one is better.


My hats off to you.

[BoomerSooner]

I work in healthcare as well as officiating. I can attest to the fact that no matter how many times I've done a proceedure or been faced with a situation like this, there is a moment of 'oh my God' I can't do this, but then training and experience kicks in and you say I can do this and everything just flows. Now to someone without any special training all I can say is way to go.

[Nevadaref]

UdaMAN!!!
What all of you there did was wonderful and special. Our world would be a better place if all the individuals in it would act as you did.
Keep up the good work, both on and off the court.