Man lucky to be alive after being hit and dragged by car
Jeff Whitmire was run over and dragged in a parking lot.
By Jamie Kennedy
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ATLANTA (WGCL) — “I guess I’m just thankful and grateful to be alive,” said Jeff Whitmire.
And that’s because Whitmire was run over and dragged in a parking lot, the whole terrifying incident caught on camera.
“Looking at him there was an expression on his face and I don’t know if it was just panic or rage, it’s hard to explain,” Whitmire said.
According to Whitmire and police, the man in the car had been at the Friends on Ponce bar and came up to the bar and asked for medical assistance.
Whitmire, who had previously worked at the bar, suggested the man get some air as paramedics were called. The two men then walked outside before Whitmire turned around to go back for some water. Then in the video you see the man walk to his car and begin to hit vehicles before running over Whitmire.
“I’m yelling stop, stop, and in the video, you see where my body kind of slouches after he hits my car. And it wasn’t because he hit my car, me and the gentleman made eye contact at that time. And at that time, I knew exactly what was about to happen and I felt kind of trapped knowing that there was know way for me to react quick enough to get out of his way,” Whitmire said.
In the video you see Whitmire was able to roll away from the car as it nearly hits another man.
Amazingly, he was able to walk away and sustained relatively minor injuries considering he says that he was run over.
“My abdomen has road rash from scraping from the undercarriage of the vehicle. My top half on my shoulders has road rash. My knew sustained lacerations to the right leg that required stiches,” Whitmire said.
The incident happened on Jan. 7 and Whitmire said he is waiting for CT scans and needs continuing physical therapy on his knee.
As lucky as he was, he hopes authorities act swiftly because another might not be so lucky.
“What if this happens again next time and someone’s not as fortunate as I was to walk away from it,” Whitmire said.
Whitmire showed CBS46 reporter Jamie Kennedy pictures and was also told by the general manager at Friends on Ponce that the same man returned this past Friday. Security held him while police were called. Only hours later, Whitmire said APD detectives told him the man was out of custody in less than 24 hours. CBS46 is following up with APD to find out where the man is and where the investigation stands.
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