CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A Clinton Township couple is lucky to be alive after an errant truck tire nearly splits their car in half.
Dan and Meredith Wronikowski stayed a little closer to home Friday night as they were not so anxious to get back on the road after walking away from a car wreck that could easily have left them dead.
The incident occurred on Eastbound I-696 near Hilton Road on Wednesday (Oct. 25) at 2 p.m.
Pennsylvania police officers last year found themselves in the identical dilemma Meredith faced.
“We saw it right by the median, bouncing right toward us in a split second,” said Meredith. “I had to make a decision. I didn’t know what to do, and I just slammed on the brakes.”
“On impact, I turned away and it went through the windshield, clipped my shoulder, knocked my head, took the roof right off,” said Dan.
“I looked at him; I’m like, OMG, are you ok? It was crazy,” Meredith said.
“I kept looking up for the visor to look at my head, and there was no roof,” Dan said.
The pictures Dan took in the seconds after were downright frightening as his arms and head were bloodied.
“If I would have turned the car just a little bit this way or a little bit that way, maybe it could have hit us head-on, we wouldn’t be here now talking,” Meredith said.
The highly emotional notion has been playing in their heads since Wednesday.
“I just keep seeing the tire going through the windshield,” Dan said. “I feel lucky, but not so lucky, like why us?”
A passerby did stop to help until the tow truck arrived. They now know Meredith made exactly the right decision with no time to think.
“She did perfect, she couldn’t have done better,” Dan said.
And if you’re wondering if they’re counting their lucky stars, they are, as Dan said he played a scratch-off ticket and won $50 for his troubles.
Michigan State Police did respond, but no one knows where the tire came from.
The Wronowski’s are asking if you were in the area Wednesday and saw anything they’d like to hear from you. They want to know where the tire came from.
Anyone with information can send your response to RodM@WDIV.com.