Woman Dials 911 With Her Toes After Her Hands Are Crushed While Changing Tire

COLLETON COUNTY, S.C. (CBS Local) -- A woman whose hands became trapped while she was changing a tire on the side of a South Carolina interstate highway managed to call for help using her toes.

The unidentified 54-year-old woman was driving northbound on a rural stretch of Interstate 95 Sunday evening when her car got a flat tire, according to Colleton County Fire-Rescue.

The woman, who is from Charlotte, North Carolina, pulled over in the breakdown lane along the highway, CBS affiliate WCSC reported.

"She removed the flat tire and was replacing it with the spare, when the jack slipped causing the car to fall, crushing both of her hands between the tire and the fender," the fire department said in a statement.

The victim was trapped alone on the side of the dark Interstate, experiencing excruciating pain. But over the next 35 minutes, she was able to slip off one shoe and manipulate her cell.

"After many attempts she was able to dial 911 with her toes and advise them of her predicament," officials said.

Emergency crews were able to free the woman and get her to a hospital. She suffered severe damage to both hands and all her fingers, the fire department said.