Crews Rescue Driver Trapped After Dump Truck Collision
NORTH MIAMI DADE (CBSMiami) – The driver of a South Florida food pantry truck was hospitalized Friday after the cab of his truck was crushed following a collision with a dump truck.
The accident took place at NW 3rd Avenue and 119th Street.
"I heard an explosion or something, a big bang, that's what I heard," said witness Jason Piner.
According to Miami-Dade police, the driver of the "Pass It On Ministry" truck slammed into the back of the dump truck which was not moving at the time of the accident.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue's Tactical Response Team was called to the scene to extricate the driver who was trapped inside the cab of the box truck, which was crushed and wedged underneath the dump truck.
An employee of the Pass It On Ministry, which is a food pantry for the needy, identified the driver as 46-year-old Artise Stanley.
She told CBS4's Kara Kostanich that Stanley has been driving the truck to pick up food for the needy every Friday morning for at least the past 10 years.
After being trapped for about an hour, Stanley was removed from the truck and air rescued to Jackson Memorial Hospital.
"This is an accident that a matter of centimeters would have meant the difference between life and death," said Dr. Marc Grossman of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.
Stanley's family watched as workers slowly were able to bring Artise to safety. Kostanich spoke to Stanley's wife who said he's doing well, escaping with only a wrist injury.
Pass It On Ministry said Artise is a man of faith who is devoted to his wife and son.
"He's in good spirits," said pastor Dwayne Richarson. "He's smiling and talking and it's just a miracle."
