Letters to the Editor

Nightmare at 12th Street

Recently, I stopped my car in the inside west lane of Laurel Avenue, calmly waiting for the arrow so I could make my left turn onto South. 12th. I assured my car would be seen by turning my left signal light on and by pumping my brake light.

Without warning, a vehicle, to avoid rear-ending me, tore around my driver’s side (entirely in the east-bound traffic lane) and hit my left tire and fender as it whipped back into the westbound lane.

The vehicle never stopped, just sped westward on Laurel. If there was a witness, no one stopped. Traffic flowed in all lanes. No horns blew nor was there any screeching of tires.

As God is my witness, I did not hit anyone. On impact, however, I instinctively jerked my wheel to the right or I would have sustained more damage.

I completed my turn and parked by the cemetery, thinking that surely the person who hit me would return.

After five minutes, I examined my damage. The tire was losing air, but I waited five more minutes. By then, I was convinced I’d experienced a hit-and-run.

Deciding to go to the police station to report this accident, I left (my only mistake). When I reached Park Avenue, I didn’t think I could make it uptown on that tire. I opted to go on to my destination.

The tire was completely flat when I arrived. I called for road service, planning to make my accident report as soon as possible. Service was promised within the hour.

Almost immediately, a gray pick-up slowly came by, turned around and slowly passed again. Little did I know then that this was “the witness” who just happened to be the other driver’s aunt. How convenient.

The two of them had been watching from the other side of the cemetery, plotting, I believe, to frame me for the accident. The two then go where I’d been parked on 12th and called the cops and filed a fraudulent report.

The accident occurred about 1:15 p.m. and around 2:00 (what were they doing for 45 min?) a vehicle drove up and a woman got out.

I went outside thinking that possibly it could be my hit-and-run driver who would apologize for hitting me and wanted to exchange insurance information. Wrong! The first words out of her mouth were “you hit me!” (Red flag #1)

At this point, the events that ensued became a police matter. Out of appreciation of the efforts of my attorney and our public officials, I will not relate those details.

Thanks to these people, the report was reviewed, prompt action was taken and all charges against me were dismissed.

I’m sure you’ll agree that this was quite a nightmare. That’s not all. Part II is spelled I-N-S-U-R-A-N-C-E (an acronym for legalized extortion).

When I went to the agent and reported this accident, he assured me that it would be taken care of - not to worry.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that an immobile object can’t hit anything. My car was NOT moving.

Yet this brilliant inspector just couldn’t understand that. He, two weeks later, decided to go with the flow - citing preponderance of evidence, no matter how “fishy,” company policy, and my lack of a witness to side with the guilty.

Just to save a few dollars a company to which I’ve paid hefty premiums for 33 years, simply rolled over. Quite a betrayal. This was especially so since I was concerned with the lies more then the damage.

My family advised me to forget this travesty before I O.D.’d on the injustice and frustration of it all.

They reminded me that I needn’t be concerned about these lies because those who know me would know that I was telling the truth.

Thank God for His Judgment day!

Should you ever witness an accident, please stop. Don’t be afraid to get involved. Do your civic duty. Someday, you might appreciate someone coming to your rescue.

What are the odds that:

While waiting for a light to change, you’d be hit by a hit-and-run?

Two people (women at that) would think I’d be a push-over just because I was old and had white hair?

An officer would accept a fraudulent accident report without question?

Your insurance company would condone character assassination?

Well, let me tell you that when someone compromises my innocence, my reputation and my integrity, you can believe I am furious.

None if this nightmare would have happened if only one person had chosen to tell the truth.

I definitely know one business that doesn’t deserve mine; one in which I will never set foot.

If you don’t think this could happen to you, think again! When you pass 12th Street, just say a little prayer.

Why am I telling you of this? You have already helped me by listening, now with God’s Grace I can lay the nightmare to rest.

Yvonne Perrodin,

Eunice