Last night I stopped at a red light with the sun setting on the horizon and my evening just getting started. Rarely do I have planned evenings but last night I had plans! It was a brisk 30 degrees outside but not too cold for an early evening run followed by a quick dinner before embarking on the thirty minute drive to Norris Hot Springs. I’ve been in the mood for a good soak lately and with the small bar at the springs nothing sounded better than a hot soak on a cold night with a good local beer in my hand. Those thoughts were in my head when a white blur in my rear view mirror caught my attention….

The impact didn’t surprise me, in that short millisecond I knew he was going to hit me, but violence of the impact did. The quiet inside the car was pierced with the sound of broken glass as my rear windshield exploded on impact. The collision threw the car forward into the car stopped in front of me and after ping-ponging off that vehicle I came to an uneasy stop.

My first reaction was to look in my rear view mirror and I saw a middle-aged white guy frantically moving the gear shifter on the steering wheel up and down. I figured he was throwing the truck into park and so I looked at the SUV  in front of me as the driver’s door opened. In my rear view mirror the truck began to go around me on the left side (the accident occurred in the left lane of a two lane road) and that didn’t look good. When he gunned the truck and took off past me it really didn’t look good.

My mind immediately yelled “GET THE PLATE! GET THE PLATE!” and I got out of the car and saw the license plate just before he left sight. Good thing, it helped later. By this time the lady in the SUV was standing outside her car and she walked up to me and with an air of astonishment said “Did he just hit you and take off?” Yes m’am, he did.

We pulled off the road and in the darkness I tried to find my phone. It is usually in the small cubby hole under the radio but it was no longer there. Not on the floor on the passenger side or driver’s side either. After a few minutes I found it in the back seat and dialed 911. Gave the operator the location, plate number, and waited for the police to arrive.  And waited. And waited.

Long story short, the cops came and took our statements. Turns out they caught the guy not far from the scene. The plate number did help. Not been confirmed but they booked him on suspicion of DUI and hit and run.

The car is probably totaled and I have one hell of a neck and head ache. I know, I know, it could be worse. A lot worse. I’m praying he has insurance and we’ll see what happens over the next few days. Got a heating pad on and I’m a little worried how I’ll feel in the coming week. Heard whiplash gets worse before it gets better.

I had plans. Plans changed.

Asshole, missed my soak.