Edmonton man drives hummer in path of car to save street-crossing children

Goober

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EDMONTON MAN DRIVES HUMMER IN PATH OF CAR TO SAVE STREET-CROSSING CHILDREN

What a Guy - Thank you.
Sun News : Edmonton man drives Hummer in path of car to save street-crossing children

Man drives Hummer in path of car to save street-crossing children | Canada | News | Toronto Sun


EDMhttp://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/story/2012/09/04/edmonton-hummer-driver-saves-kids-distracted-driver.html


EDMONTON -- Darrell Krushelnicki didn't think twice when he pulled his Hummer in front of a speeding car in order to prevent four children crossing the street from being mowed down.
The 46-year-old from Taber, AB, was in Edmonton on Friday visiting his parents and had just dropped off his girlfriend at Bonnie Doon Mall. He was stopped at an intersection around 4:30 p.m. when he noticed four kids, ranging in age from three to 16, crossing the street at a marked crosswalk with overhead amber lights.

All the vehicles on the road had stopped, except for a car whizzing up in the far lane. Krushelnicki noticed the car travelling at high speed so he crept into the intersection with his 2006 Hummer.

"I could just tell it was a bad scenario that was going to take place," said Krushelnicki, who works in the oilpatch in northern BC "The driver did not see the crosswalk, the amber light flashing, nor the posted speed limit and he appeared to be on a hand-held device of some sort
talking."

In order to prevent a disaster, Krushelnicki drove his vehicle in front of the speeding car, which hit the front end of his passenger side, pushing in the bumper and grill.

Aside from a loose tooth, Krushelnicki wasn't injured in the collision. He immediately jumped out of his vehicle to make sure the shaken kids -- who watched the crash occur within about 15 or 20 feet of them -- were okay.

"They were all shaken up. I couldn't see any visual injuries. I asked them to go sit on the lawn of the church on the corner," said Krushelnicki, noting some of the kids were crying. He then approached the driver of the car.

"He looked a little shaken and disoriented."

According to police, witnesses reported that the driver of a 2007 Pontiac G5 was speeding and allegedly speaking on his cell phone when he passed several vehicles that were stopped to let the four children use the crosswalk.

Now, police are commending Krushelnicki's actions.

"These children potentially could have sustained serious injuries and or death," said police spokesperson Scott Pattison, noting Krushelnicki will be recommended for a citizen's award.

"Obviously, it's not something we want to see people do, but certainly his spontaneous actions may have saved the lives of four children. It's a miracle he wasn't hurt himself."

Krushelnicki is overwhelmed by all the attention he's received about the incident.

"I was really taken by surprise by all of this," he said.

"I'm just glad the kids are okay and the only thing that needs repairs is some twisted metal."

John Troy Heitzman, 23, is charged with dangerous driving.
 

L Gilbert

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Great!
Just about got clocked by one of those kind of drivers at a crosswalk myself one time. The one that had stopped blew his horn and pointed back and I saw the idiot coming. Waited till he got beside me and I put a nice dent in his fender and waited to see if he'd stop. He didn't. I'd like to think he realised his idiocy and smartened up.
 

shadowshiv

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Great!
Just about got clocked by one of those kind of drivers at a crosswalk myself one time. The one that had stopped blew his horn and pointed back and I saw the idiot coming. Waited till he got beside me and I put a nice dent in his fender and waited to see if he'd stop. He didn't. I'd like to think he realised his idiocy and smartened up.

What did you use to dent his fender?;)

And I can almost guarantee that this guy saved at least one life. Incidents like this show why it is illegal to have a hand-held device in your hand while you are driving. The other driver is damned lucky all he hit was the hummer.
 

GroundWater

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We had this topic at our monthly safety meeting, good on him, I hope his insurance company feels the same way.
 

Tonington

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Hopefully his insurance company doesn't **** him over for this. Great job Darrell!
 

TenPenny

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yesterday morning i dropped my daughter off at school for the first day, and while she stood in the rain waiting to cross the street, i saw a black suv coming toward me without slowing down (note - the school is right beside the street, so the driver must know there's a school there). i pulled out into the middle of the street, and swore at her when she stopped beside me, wondering what my problem was.

stupid bitch.

if you aren't smart enough to drive, stay the fuk home.
 

Goober

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Hopefully his insurance company doesn't **** him over for this. Great job Darrell!

If they did it would cost them dearly- I do not think the insurance will ff him over. I think they will step up to the plate.
 

karrie

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I saw almost this exact same scenario once on 153rd ave in Edmonton, but the driver managed to avoid a full out collision, and drove off with no commendation. The elderly man he used his vehicle to shield, never even realized how close he came to dying that day as he shuffled across the road staring at his feet. The driver who was in the left lane and nearly hit him was visibly shaken, and obviously immensely grateful to the man who swerved in front of her to prevent a full out catasrophe.
 

SLM

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Nice to know there are those out there that pay attention to what others are doing (or about to do) since half the time it seems like so many of them don't pay attention to what they themselves are doing!
 

skookumchuck

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Glad to hear that decent guy was at least not insured by ICBC. They will assign blame to the blameless. The most corrupt gov't corporation ever! They remind me of driving for Greyhound back in the day when the manta was "no such thing as a non preventable accident", numerous good drivers were shafted........
 

B00Mer

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When they run at you while crossing, just plant you boot in the side of their vehicle.. what are they going to do? Call the cops.??

I've done that a few times to idiots who drive right in front of you while crossing.. one got out and started bitching about his new dent.. I told him to call the cops.. I would wait.. lol
 

MapleDog

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When they run at you while crossing, just plant you boot in the side of their vehicle.. what are they going to do? Call the cops.??

I've done that a few times to idiots who drive right in front of you while crossing.. one got out and started bitching about his new dent.. I told him to call the cops.. I would wait.. lol
It reminds me,when i was a kid,i was almost hit by a cadillac,my mom pulled me back just in time,and punch the car,the old prick stopped got out and said "You will respect me when i drive by" it was in the lat 1970s.
 

karrie

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I saw a near miss today.... amber lights flashing at the pedestrian crossing, kid holding his arm out at the cross walk, he starts to cross, and a cabbie whipped around the stopped traffic. He slammed on his brakes when FINALLY it clicked in that there was a kid in the street.... terrifying.
 

Goober

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I saw a near miss today.... amber lights flashing at the pedestrian crossing, kid holding his arm out at the cross walk, he starts to cross, and a cabbie whipped around the stopped traffic. He slammed on his brakes when FINALLY it clicked in that there was a kid in the street.... terrifying.

In Alberta drivers treat cross walks as a free hit zone- walking across they - Driver making a left or right turn across a cross walk zone- drivers have the habit of pulling right up to the cross walk trying to get the pedestrian to move faster. Downtown is horrible for that.
 

JLM

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I saw a near miss today.... amber lights flashing at the pedestrian crossing, kid holding his arm out at the cross walk, he starts to cross, and a cabbie whipped around the stopped traffic. He slammed on his brakes when FINALLY it clicked in that there was a kid in the street.... terrifying.

I saw one yesterday, an old woman crossed a busy 4 lane highway, no cross walk, just walks out holds her arm up and proceeds across with 4 or 5 cars having to stop or slow down for her. Not only dangerous but just plain rude!