Man Struck Outside Car Wash Left in Critical Condition
A 46-year-old Flint, MI man was working at a car wash when he was struck and injured by a 2008 Saturn Vue SUV. The worker was dragged roughly 50 feet under the car as the vehicle moved forward. A witness to the accident stated they believe the driver accidently hit the gas pedal rather than the brakes, which led to the incident.
The driver of the SUV was an 87-year-old man from Grand Blanc, MI. Police did not charge the driver in the accident and was transported to a medical facility for treatment. The victim suffered critical internal injuries in the accident. Authorities believe neither speed nor alcohol was involved in the accident.
Working at a job that involves coming in close contact with vehicles in one way or another could prove to be very dangerous as this incident demonstrates. There are many things that can happen either to the driver in the vehicle or to others outside the vehicle. In some cases automated car washes are used to prevent these types of situations but nonetheless as a driver approaches the end of the car wash, they could strike the workers waiting to assist them.
The reason authorities did not charge the driver in this accident is because it was not a foreseeable incident and the driver did not have malicious intent in their actions. There are many situations when a driver may be trying to stop their car for some reason and they accidently hit the gas rather than hitting the break. Although it is not a common mistake, it does happen since the gas pedal and brake pedal are often built very close to each other.
If alcohol or speed had been factors in the accident, then the driver could have been charged for contributing to the accident. There are many situations when this occurs because the driver is completely unaware of their actions at the time. In cases like that, the driver should be held responsible for their actions and charged in the incident. However, in an incident such as this involving the victim at the car wash, no charges can take place against the driver.
