DORR TOWNSHIP, Mich. — It was like a scene from a movie but worse in Allegan County Thursday when a driver actually jumped over 142nd Avenue in their car.
Incredibly, the driver survived.
Michigan State Police say it started when the driver was on the southbound US-131 exit ramp #68 in Dorr Township.
READ MORE: Car driven by suspected drunk driver on US-131 goes flying across road
FOX 17’s Julie Dunmire spoke with a driver who watched it happen and rushed to help after the car crash-landed.
“Not to be funny, but I really thought of Dukes of Hazzard,” said Dante Johnson, who witnessed the stunning crash.
When you watch the video, you’ll know why Johnson couldn’t simply keep driving.
“He said, ‘I think he cleared it, it looked like GTA, it looked like GTA’,” Dante said.
Dante blinked, but his passenger saw the whole thing.
“So, as we’re driving by, I happen to look over and I spot him. The car is on its side and everybody just pulled over. We just started running down to the ditch,” explained Dante.
A car jumping clear over the overpass is surprising enough. Then, Dante learned the driver was not dead.
“Just lucky to be alive man, lucky to be alive,” said Dante.
But then, Dante feared the worst.
“We started panicking because we saw a car seat in the vehicle,” Dante told FOX 17.
No child was inside.
“I know they would have taken the brunt of the hit because it was on the passenger’s side,” said Dante.
Another movie moment: bystanders didn’t just stand by.
“Everybody decided to just come out and help. With everything going on, no one even thought about that,” said Dante.
Michigan State Police say they suspect the man behind the wheel had been drinking.
“I hope he learns from it,” Dante told FOX 17.
Dante says the reason is simple. It’s why so many people stopped: this driver means something to someone.
“That might have been the day that your kid lost you, and you never got to see your kid. Me being a father myself, that could have been the last day he saw his child. For me, being able to walk away from that, and still see your kid, it’s a miracle. It’s a blessing,” said Dante.
