Kris
01-28-2003, 12:51 PM
BLUE SPRINGS, Missouri (AP) -- A teenager thrown into the air when his Jeep struck another car saved himself by grabbing onto utility wires and hanging on until he was rescued, authorities said.
Joe R. Thompson III, 18, was suspended 20 to 25 feet in the air for about 20 minutes Monday afternoon. He even managed to call his dad on a cell phone while waiting for rescue.
Thompson, flown to a Kansas City hospital, was treated and released.
"God was definitely in control, that's all I can say," he said.
Sgt. Ray Myers of the Blue Springs police said Thompson was "bear-hugging" the wires when help arrived.
"He had apparently snagged the lower wire, and the momentum carried him over," he said. "He had two wires wrapped together and he was just hanging on to them."
Police said a car driven by another young man struck the Jeep Wrangler driven by Thompson. They said the Jeep spun around and rolled at least once.
Thompson, who said he was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown into the air but managed to grab the utility wires and hang on until a fire crew was able to get him down.
what a lucky grab
Joe R. Thompson III, 18, was suspended 20 to 25 feet in the air for about 20 minutes Monday afternoon. He even managed to call his dad on a cell phone while waiting for rescue.
Thompson, flown to a Kansas City hospital, was treated and released.
"God was definitely in control, that's all I can say," he said.
Sgt. Ray Myers of the Blue Springs police said Thompson was "bear-hugging" the wires when help arrived.
"He had apparently snagged the lower wire, and the momentum carried him over," he said. "He had two wires wrapped together and he was just hanging on to them."
Police said a car driven by another young man struck the Jeep Wrangler driven by Thompson. They said the Jeep spun around and rolled at least once.
Thompson, who said he was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown into the air but managed to grab the utility wires and hang on until a fire crew was able to get him down.
what a lucky grab