California driver escapes serious injury after guardrail pierces through car
PLUMAS COUNTY – A young woman suffered only moderate injuries after a Northern California high country crash during Thursday's storm, authorities say.
The crash happened around 7 a.m. at the Beckwourth Pass along Highway 70, near the California-Nevada border.
It's unclear exactly what led up to the crash, but road conditions appear to have been poor after as an atmospheric river moved through the region – dumping significant rain and snow in Northern California.
"I was going like 40 miles an hour. I wasn't even going fast," crash survivor Quenton Brock said.
As seen in photos taken by first responders, the 18-year-old's Subaru was pierced through the driver's side door by the guardrail.
"I should be in two pieces being pulled out of [the] car," Brock said.
Miraculously, California Highway Patrol says Brock, who is from the Beckwourth/Sparks area, escaped serious injuries.
"I had to slide out of it and then make sure that my legs still worked because obviously I didn't know how bad it could have been but I knew that it was pretty bad," Brock said.
Still, she was taken to the Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno for treatment. From there, she described how she was able to survive the impact.
"The inside panel of the driver's side door detached and pushed itself along with the guardrail as it pushed through the car and moved my body forward as it went behind me," Brock said.
The metal beam is designed to absorb energy from high-speed crashes. But Brock said there should have been more protection.
"They need to at least be bent into the ground so they can't impale a vehicle or maybe have sandbags around them so there's maybe more cushioning,'" Brock said.
She suffered some internal injury but is expected to make a full recovery.
"Nothing is broken except for my rib, so I just kind of have a lot of soreness, tenderness, aching,' Brock said.
She thinks maybe a guardian angel helped protect her from the guardrail.
"Statistically speaking, that should not have happened, I should not be sitting here talking to you," Brock said.
Doctors are keeping her in the hospital for two days to make sure there's no internal bleeding. Brock said she probably won't drive that road again.
