Man escapes injury when out-of-control car careens toward him in Tower District

A woman was rushed to the hospital Tuesday afternoon after her car careened wildly out of control in the Tower District — slamming into a bus stop bench and then a light pole — as a bystander leaped out to the way to escape serious injury, or even death.

Fresno police are investigating the crash, which took place about 12:30 p.m. at North Van Ness Boulevard and East Clinton Avenue.

Lt. Mark Hudson said a witness reported that the driver first hit a curb in front of a convenience store at East McKinley and North Palm avenues, before slamming into the bus bench about one-half mile away.

Cole Crayton-Crogan was standing near the light pole, carrying a take-out coffee carton, when he said he saw the white, compact car, which was eastbound on Clinton, speeding toward him in the westbound lanes. He leaped out of way as the car collected the bus bench, then the pole, just “two inches” from where he had been standing.

Crayton-Crogan said he and several bystanders ran to the car, smashing the back window to render aid to the woman. He said she was conscious, and was able to shut off fthe vehicle. An off-duty paramedic then arrived and helped in the rescue as firefighters arrived.

This story was originally published November 26, 2019 at 2:11 PM.