Featured Image Credit: WBNS 10TV
Terrifying footage shows a lorry driver losing control of her vehicle and driving over the side of a bridge.
According to the DailyMail.com, Sydney Thomas, 26, was driving over the George Rogers Clark Memorial Bridge in Kentucky on March 1, when a pickup truck crashed into her.
The impact sent Thomas over the side of the bridge, where her 18-wheel truck was suspended 75 feet over the Ohio River.
The crash occurred when a southbound vehicle hit a stalled car and crossed into northbound traffic, where it struck the lorry and caused it to drive through the guardrail, ending up in that precarious position.
Dashcam footage has just been released as part of the trial, where pickup driver Trevor Branham, 33, is charged with multiple counts of wanton endangerment and one count of operating on a suspended license following the incident.
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According to CBS news, witnesses told police they saw Branham's pickup speeding on the bridge and weaving through traffic, before hitting the stalled vehicle.
After the incident, dramatic photos showed how Thomas was rescued.
It took about 40 minutes to set up a rope system, which firefighter Bryce Carden used to abseil down to the cab.
According to Louisville fire chief Brian O’Neill, Carden hooked the driver up to a safety harness and lifted her safely back to the road.
Immediately after the incident, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said of Thomas: “She is incredibly brave. She is incredibly fortunate."
The George Rogers Clark Memorial Bridge carries around 24,000 vehicles a day over the Ohio River. The bridge is nearly 100 years old, and connects Louisville, Kentucky with Southern Indiana.
In a press conference in March, officials said the bridge is safe and passed an inspection in 2023, but acknowledged that its four lanes are relatively narrow.
Kentucky's state highway engineer James Ballinger said the bridge would need repairs after the crash, but its structural integrity was not compromised.
According to the DailyMail.com, Branham's lawyer has argued for lesser charges as there were no serious injuries or deaths. A grand jury is set to review the case next month.
