Car Falls On Wingfield Man, Quick Thinking Neighbor Helps Control Situation

Emergency personnel work to help Russell Steven Hawks, 58 of Wingfield, when a car he was working on fell from a jack onto him.

Darren Doyle, story and photo
A Wingfield man narrowly escaped serious injury yesterday when the car he was working on slipped off the jack, pinning him underneath. The car fell on Russell Steven Hawks, 58, at the home of his parents on Wingfield Church Road around 6pm.

Brandon Graham, a neighbor and member of the Wingfield Fire Department, said his 6 year old daughter came in from playing outside and told Graham she could hear someone screaming. Graham lives just down the road from the accident. He said just a minute later he heard the emergency page and responded to the scene in his own truck.

"I used a jack out of my truck and was able to get the car off of him," Graham said. "He crawled out from under it on his own free will." 

Within minutes, other first responders and EMS arrived. Family members said Mr. Hawks lost consciousness for a brief period when the accident first occurred and did not breathe for a couple minutes.

Graham said Mr. Hawks first refused medical treatment but was eventually convinced to go to the hospital to get checked out. 

Mr. Hawks' son, Brandon Hawks, said a CT scan last night amazingly showed no internal injuries or broken bones and that his father only suffered from some bruising. Mr. Hawks was able to return home last night.

Loreda Hawks, the victim's mother, said although she and other family members were frantic at the time of the accident, she credited quick thinking and a higher power for a positive ending.

"It could've been lots worse than it was," she said. "It all happened so fast, we weren't sure what to do. I just thank the good Lord that things turned out like they did."