I just read this in our local paper
Prayers please!!
Morning drive turns deadly for 4
By Michael Knox
Independent Tribune
Sunday, August 17, 2003
A Woodleaf woman and her unborn child died Sunday
after suffering injuries from a crash that threw the
expectant mother and eight others from a van on I-85
south in Concord before the vehicle flipped over on
the woman, officials said. The crash led to the deaths
of two other passengers.
Alma Moreno, 19, of 10075 Cool Springs Road, Woodleaf,
in Rowan County, was taken to NorthEast Medical Center
and doctors performed an emergency Caesarean section
in attempt to save the baby, said Lee Brower, director
of public relations at NorthEast.
“Because of the massive injuries to the mother, the
infant had no fetal heart tones upon arrival,” Brower
said. Moreno was 38 weeks pregnant.
Edmundo Castro Vega, 21, of 542 Oak Mountain Road,
Salisbury and Rufugio Moreno, 39, of 10075 Cool
Springs Road, Woodleaf, also died.
They were among the nine people riding in the 1986
Chevy van who were thrown from the vehicle around 7:39
a.m. Sunday.
The crash occurred after the van’s left rear tire
exploded as the van was traveling to Gastonia on I-85
near exit 55, and sent the vehicle turning over, N.C.
Highway Patrol Master Trooper R.M. Eudy said.
All the victims were transported to NorthEast and were
listed in the following conditions:
• Adriana Candeo Castro, 14, of 10075 Cool Springs
Road, Woodleaf, was listed in critical condition.
• Guadalupe Maria Candeo Castro, 10, same address, was
listed in serious condition.
• The van’s driver, Jose Miguel Candeo Garnica, 36,
same address , was listed in fair condition.
• Martina Castro Vega, 36, same address, was listed in
fair condition.
• Alfredo Castro Vega, 27, same address, was listed in
fair condition.
• Francisco Vega, 1, same address, was listed in fair
condition.
None of the van’s occupants were wearing their seat
belts, Eudy said.
“The vehicle itself did not sustain a substantial
amount of damage,” Eudy said. “Had the occupants been
restrained, the severity of the injuries would have
been greatly reduced.”
Eudy said the van had four “captain” seats, and most
of the occupants were seated on the floor.
He said charges may be pending, including the possible
charges of having too many passengers in the vehicle
and no seatbelts, but those charges need to be
discussed with Cabarrus County District Attorney
Roxann Vaneekhoven.
He did say neither speeding or alcohol were factors.
Eudy said the accident stemmed from the left tire
exploding and recommended drivers to check the air
pressure and treads of their own tires to prevent a
similar “blow out.”
Cabarrus County EMS Paramedic Isaac Padgett was
driving into work when he watched the blow out and saw
the vehicle lose control Sunday morning.
“I saw a cloud of dust,” Padgett said. “I counted five
times, but I don’t know how many times (the van)
actually flipped. I saw the people flying out of the
van.”
Padgett said he first thought what he saw was debris,
not realizing it was the passengers until he pulled up
the accident.
“When you come up on a scene like that you kind of
focus in and try to help the people you think you can
help,” he said.
Padgett also had to deal with bystanders who wanted to
lift the van off Alma Moreno, but he said he knew the
dangers it posed.
“You can end up with more patients,” he said,
referring to the fact the van could roll onto a
would-be savior.
Cabarrus County EMS Relief Supervisor Allison Smith
said that the accident occurred during shift change
for EMS crews, which meant more paramedics were
available for the rescue. The EMS had four ambulances
for patients and the Cabarrus Rescue Squad supplying
two more.
Smith said she hasn’t seen an accident of this
magnitude since 1995.
“It’s very rare to get this many patients with this
severe of injuries at one time,” she said.
Smith requested helicopters to fly the victims out,
but the helicopters couldn’t fly because of too much
fog.
Padgett said during rescues like this one is when
things can be frustrating.
“You just wish you could get the helicopters, but you
can’t,” Padgett said. “It’s just a sick feeling.”
I will say a prayer for her family that made me cry 
Linear Mode
