A young girl found help after she survived a single-car accident that killed her father. She had to extricate herself from the wrecked vehicle and travel a long and dangerous Southern California rural Highway on her own in the dark until she flagged down a passing vehicle.
Early Sunday the 9-year-old girl had to climb up a steep embankment in darkness to look for help. She had been riding in a sport utility vehicle with her father. He lost control of the vehicle for reasons being currently investigated and the vehicle rolled down an embankment.
California Highway Patrol stated that the accident happened at about 1 a.m. when the driver, a 35-year-old, lost control of the Ford Escape before it overturned several times down the embankment. Reports stated the vehicle was traveling southbound on a semi-rural stretch of the Sierra Highway in Acton.
Managing to extricate herself, the young girl embarked on a journey to find someone who could come to her father’s aid. She knocked on a lone house after walking through rugged terrain to no avail. She then got back on the road and managed to flag a passing motorist down at around 2:30 a.m.
“She walked quite a distance in a very, very threatening environment. It’s very black out there, very dark,” CHP Sergeant Tom Lackey told KABC-TV. “It’s very steep and it’s brushy and there’s also coyotes in the background.”
When authorities arrived to the scene they had learned that the man was killed by the accident. His name was not released but officials stated that he was from Los Angeles.
Rescuers called for a helicopter and the young girl was airlifted to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. At the hospital she was treated for minor injuries including bumps and bruises and a cut to her face.
Video footage following the accident showed crews working to pull the severely damaged black SUV from the canyon.
It is not yet known what factors played in the crash. Detectives are currently trying to determine if the use of alcohol or drugs by the driver were a factor in the crash.
Various websites are commending the young girls’ valiant efforts. It takes lots of bravery to search for help out in the wild darkness.
Accidents happen anywhere, expected or unexpected. Professionals recommend having a plan in place in case of a collision. If you are going to be out in a rural area perhaps have a radio aboard or a GPS system that can get a rescue team to your location in case of an accident.
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