OHP trooper talks about his 'brush with death'

It was like finding yourself in the middle of special-effects, action movie. That's how Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper Vern Wilson describes the feeling as an 18 wheeler crushed his patrol car and

Wednesday, July 14th 2004, 9:54 am

By: News On 6

It was like finding yourself in the middle of special-effects, action movie. That's how Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper Vern Wilson describes the feeling as an 18 wheeler crushed his patrol car and barreled past him on US Highway 75 Tuesday in Tulsa.

Wilson had parked his cruiser behind an abandoned vehicle and was directing traffic around it, when he saw the truck heading straight toward him. "I realize it's not going to stop, I'm backpedaling. I'm watching it, I turn to run away from it and at the very end, I see the trailer hit my unit and it vaulted in the air."

Wilson says the truck was only a few feet away as it hurtled past him. He says he had a feeling of euphoria as he realized he was still alive.

Even after the brush with death, he was right back on patrol Wednesday.