Van hits tow truck helping vehicle and goes airborne
ST. LOUIS (KMOV/Gray News) - A van hit a tow truck helping a vehicle and went airborne on Friday.
Illinois State Police issued a citation for improper ing of an emergency vehicle after the bizarre accident Friday afternoon on Highway 158.
“Could have been a lot worse,” said Allen Timmerwilke, a driver for Quality Towing.
Timmerwilke was dispatched around 4:30 p.m. to pull a truck out of a ditch. While he prepared to hook up a winch to the truck, a white van did not seem to notice the stopped truck with flashing lights.
Both tires on the enger side of the van rolled up the tilted flatbed, causing the van to go airborne.
“He toppled and slid. Narrowly avoiding one car,” Timmerwilke said.
Cameras on the tow truck recorded the van launching into the air off the back of the tow truck, turning in mid-air, landing on its left side and sliding to a halt.
The driver of the van was checked out at the hospital but was not seriously hurt. Timmerwilke was standing away from his truck and was not hurt.
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