Tulsa girl survives truck crash into bedroom, because she rearranged room

A 16-year-old Tulsa girl is recovering after being pinned under a truck that crashed into her bedroom.<br><br>It happened Monday night while the girl was in bed reading. News on Six reporter Jenny McNeil

Wednesday, October 25th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

A 16-year-old Tulsa girl is recovering after being pinned under a truck that crashed into her bedroom.

It happened Monday night while the girl was in bed reading. News on Six reporter Jenny McNeil spoke with the girl Tuesday.

Teresa Johnson says she knows someone was watching out for her Monday night when a stolen truck came barreling through her bedroom. Johnson rearranged her bedroom three days ago, and it may have saved her life. "Somebody had to be watching over me," she said.

â€œShe was laying here reading," said Johnsonâ€™s aunt Evelyn Kelly. Kelly says her bed had been in the same corner where a 15-year-old boy crashed a stolen truck Monday night. Teresa's mother says the crash was so bad that she's sure her daughter wouldn't be alive. â€œI turned around to go the other way, and then I remembered she was in her room,â€ said Bonita Johnson. â€œI went back,and opened her door. When I opened her door, there was a big truck staring at me, wheels turning and still running."

Those turning wheels were on top of the young girl's leg. The wheels continued to turn for 45 minutes, causing second-degree burns on her leg. â€œIt burned, and after a while i couldn't feel my leg," she said,
Doctors say they are going to give her leg a week to heal on its own, and then will decide if the Booker T. Washington High School junior will need surgery.

After seeing what could've happened, Johnson and her family say they have something to be thankful for.
â€œI thank everybody for getting my baby out," said Johnsonâ€™s mother.

Police arrested A 15-year-old boy Tuesday who they say was driving the truck. Friends of the family have set up a trust fund to help with the Johnson girlâ€™s medical expenses.