Emotions churn for other family involved in fiery I-40 crash
CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina (WTVD) -- A week after a grinding crash on I-40 in Johnston County that killed an 11-year old boy, several survivors are still in the hospital.
One had surgery Monday, and her daughter - who was driving one of the cars involved - and her husband are talking exclusively to ABC11.
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In the crash, a Nissan driven by Angela Jones burst into flames after Jones apparently slowed to turn through the median, was hit by the car behind her and was launched into oncoming traffic.
"I just see a car coming across the median and I don't have time to react. I just kind of hit it full force," said Kaitlin Brundidge, who was driving the other car.
The Nissan burst into flames. Jones escaped but was badly burned. Her son Daniel, 9, was also burned but is expected to make a full recovery. But her 11-year old son, Isaiah, died in the fiery crash.
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Kaitlin Brundidge thought her mother - in the passenger seat next to her - was dying, too.
"When we were struck, she was going in and out of consciousness so there was a time when I didn't know if she was going to make it," the 20-year-old Brundidge said.
As her mother was being cut out of the car, her father arrived on the scene.
She ran to him.
"I first made sure she was OK, and she was sore and banged up," Brian Brundidge told ABC11. "And I saw that the fire department was working on my wife."
On Monday, his wife, Lynn Brundidge, 48, had surgery on her shattered thigh bone. And she has many other broken bones that will have to heal.
GOFUNDME: CLICK HERE TO HELP LYNN BRUNDIDGE'S FAMILY
"It's been a roller coaster the last few days," Brian Brundidge said. "It's almost kind of surreal, so to speak. "It's kind of like that Twilight Zone kind of feel: Is this all real?"
The North Carolina Highway Patrol has not said whether their investigation of the crash is complete, but is some speculation that Jones was trying to use a gravel cut-through to go back onto the other side of the interstate.
If that's the case, some have wondered why she didn't just go two miles up the road to the next exit.
RELATED: 11-YEAR-OLD KILLED IN CRASH ON I-40 NEAR BENSON
"The first thing that crossed my mind after the accident was what was going through her mind to make her think she had to do that turnaround?" Kaitlin Brundidge said. "But after looking at the police report possibly, you know like, was she distracted? Was there something like a default with her car? There's all kinds of things that just kind of go through my mind right now as to why this happened."
But Brundidge said she isn't convinced that Jones - who is expected to be hospitalized for months - was trying to turn around and hopes Highway Patrol investigators come up with some answers
The Brundidges said they feel terrible about the tragic results for the other family.
"But at the same time I'm thankful that although my wife had a long hard road ahead of her she will hopefully heal and be OK," Brian Brundidge said. "My daughter was OK. I mean I'm very, very fortunate."
Kaitlin Brundidge added: "There are mixed emotions, but it's just mainly grief for the other family. This was honestly an accident."
GOFUNDME: CLICK HERE TO HELP ISAIAH'S FAMILY
