Mother And Daughter Cling To Life Following Downtown Tulsa Highway Accident

Monday, January 22nd 2007, 4:53 pm

By: News On 6

A mother and her daughter fight for their lives after a Monday afternoon accident that pinned both inside a SUV, upside-down. According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Maria Herrerra hit a pothole and lost control of her Ford Explorer. Hererra is in critical condition; 7-year-old Jessica is serious but stable.

News on 6 anchor Tami Marler says this accident could have been much worse had they landed just a few feet away.

The firefighters at Tulsa Fire station 22 were having a much slower day than usual, there was even enough time to run their engine to the shop for a quick repair. They had no way of knowing what was literally about to fall in their path on the way back to the station.

"Driving along and all of a sudden I see this white truck coming off the bridge," said Tulsa firefighter Mike Burgess.

Mike Burgess was driving the fire engine, he says it took a split second for him to realize what was happening.

"Realized it was coming at us and had to brake real hard and swerve to the right," Burgess said.

It was 46-year-old Maria Hererra's 1988 Ford Explorer, which troopers say hit a pothole on Tulsaâ€™s northwest IDL. Hererra lost control and hit the concrete barrier.

"The high center of gravity of the SUV in addition to the snow and ice piled up against the side rail, allowed for the vehicle to ramp over," Tulsa Police Corporal David Crow said.

"We're lookinâ€™ 20 feet minimum. Over the top of that rail and upside down and you know, that can't be good," said Tulsa Fire Captain Michael Baker.

Captain Baker says the SUV landed just 40 feet in front of Engine 22.

"Right in front of a truck with paramedic level care and jaws of life," Baker said.

They knew it was serious so they called more crews to the twisting, turning IDL.

Baker got to work pulling 7 year-old Jessica from the wreckage.

"Are we going to be recovering bodies or are we gonna be making a rescue here?â€ Baker wondered on the scene. â€œAnd I think that we were able to be there. The only place that would be better is if they could have landed in the emergency room."

A Tulsa firefighter came up with a system as quickly as possible.

"I didn't really get shaken up about it until it was over, and then I thought wow this could have been a lot worse," Burgess said.

Department of Transportation crews were on the highway where Hererra's SUV landed filling potholes at the time of the accident. They rushed up to the loop and filled the potholes there, but it was too late for Maria and Jessica.