Highway rollover accident

Grom is short for Grommet = a young surfer

I received the full details of this crash and an update in emails in the past days.

Excuse the darts in the update













>Friends,

>Without authorization from the witnesses and families affected by this
>horrific accident, I offer what follows as a summary of things that have
>come to light since everyone returned safely to their homes. Initially, the
>reports we received from Mexico were "as told" by a random local who Lyle
>avis was able to persuade to make a call to Kirk Norton back in the
>states.
>As might be expected from this type of relay of such critical information,
>piercing through language barriers at the very outset, there were many
>misconceptions about what actually transpired. I would emphasize that based
>on our total ignorance of the crisis as it unfolded, it would be a mistake
>to ever discuss notions of blame, who was or wasn't there, or who did or
>didn't do anything right or wrong. The focus of all discussions from here
>on
>out must remain in the realm of gratitude. For those of us who have seen
>tragedy up close and personal, this story is clearly one of heroism, valor
>and selflessness by men, women and children who faced life-or-death
>situations involving their closest friends and they faced these things with
>courage and calm. We can all breath a heavy sigh of relief that miracles do
>happen in Mexico.
>
>As we get older, some of us joke about how we had better take advantage of
>our waning abilities to participate in adventure travel before we're too
>old. We joke about how long it takes us to recover from the mildest of
>injuries and we put on believing faces of confidence that we're still young
>and invincible. The truth is, this is the thing that keeps us young the
>most
>- not giving up our souls to the relentless march of time. Either that or
>we're just a bunch of dumb surfers with massive egos and even larger levels
>of denial. But I digress.
>
>For those who aren't familiar with the dangers of traveling to Mexico, it's
>important to know that few places on the planet inspire more fear into
>travelers than the remote areas of Baja California, Mexico. From a lack of
>any semblance of medical facilities, to mandatory and costly bribes to the
>police, to how you might possibly evacuate someone from such hostile lands,
>Baja tops the list of places you'd never want to be hurt in. But for those
>adventurous enough, the potential for uncrowded perfection is too strong an
>appeal. And if you make it there and back once, your confidence builds and
>you continue on annually.
>
>And so four separate families departed on what would be their fifth annual
>trip to Scorpion Bay, nearly 15 hours South of the US/Mexican border. They
>travelled in a 4-car caravan, keeping in close contact by walkie-talkies.
>Two days ago, roughly 12 hours into their drive to Scorpion Bay, the
>Peterson's were involved in a horrific accident. There were 6 passengers in
>their van, including Ty, Becky, their two sons, Coby & Riley, and two of
>their friends, Tyler & Victor. While attempting to pass a slow moving truck
>on the two-lane highway, the wheels of the trailer the Peterson's pulled,
>dipped into the soft-shoulder and whipped their van sideways.
>
>After briefly clipping the side of the truck, their van was thrown off the
>road and began tumbling out into the desert. The roof was peeled off
>immediately, and bodies began flying out of the open roof. Tyler and Ty's
>Golden Retriever Reef, were immediately deposited on the sand on the first
>revolution , then Coby, Riley and Ty soon followed. Fortunately, none were
>buckled in, because the photos we've seen since demonstrate that they
>surely
>would have sustained much more serious injuries had they been strapped in.
>The van was demolished and lie resting upside down with Becky and Victor
>hanging in their seats - the engine still running. Coby was unconscious,
>Riley sustained massive road-rashes on his backside and was bleeding from
>his mouth, Tyler appeared to have broken his collar bone, but was otherwise
>okay and Ty was conscious but unable to move. All were in instant shock.
>Riley found his dad and curled up next to him to keep him company. It was
>midday and many travelers began to stop to either offer assistance or
>pillage what parts of the wreckage they could while the injured tried to
>regroup.
>
>For their part, Lyle & his family, Al Duhoux & his family, and the other
>family (apologies that I don't know their names), began to get suspicious
>that they had lost contact with the Peterson's. Lyle suggested they pull
>off
>the road and wait for them, when another traveler on the highway pulled up
>to them and said, "Your friends ROLLED!" It is a long and desperate story
>that followed, but the bottom line is that all the affected parties were
>evacuated back to the US after a harrowing night in what passes for a
>hospital, and all the other members of the caravan turned around without
>hesitation and drove another 12 hours straight home.
>
>In times of stress and tragedy we know that the true character of a person
>unfolds in it's purest form. At the sight of blood, some of us get
>physically ill and others take charge and tend to the wounded. From all
>accounts of the stories told by those who participated, Ty chooses his
>travel companions well. The proof is that within 24 hours, he was lying in
>a
>hospital at the University of California at San Diego (Kirk was waiting for
>them at the hospital when they arrived, thus providing the first of
>numerous
>signs of support that have unfolded for this greatly loved group of
>friends). All six passengers were safely evacuated, what valuables could be
>recovered were and the quick thinking of Lyle-and-friends prevented what
>can
>often be weeks of negotiating with local police to leave the country. It
>seems equally clear that had Ty not been brought back in the timeliness
>that
>he was, he would likely have succumbed to his wounds. A big thanks to Lyle,
>Al, Robin, Theresa, and all their amazingly brave kids, for keeping calm,
>putting the health and safety of everyone injured before themselves and for
>turning what could easily have been a tragic fatality into what is by all
>accounts a miracle.
>
>So here's the medical summary as we now know it: Becky has a broken finger,
>Coby was knocked unconscious, bruised and shaken, but not otherwise harmed,
>Tyler has a severely bruised collar bone, Victor escaped with minor
>scrapes,
>Riley chipped a few teeth and sustained a great deal of road-rash &
>lacerations to his back and legs, and Ty took the rest for the team. Becky,
>Coby and Riley were all kept in hospital overnight , while Tyler and Victor
>were released yesterday. I should say that it was one of the most touching
>moments I've ever seen when Ty, Coby and Becky were all sharing Ty's ICU
>room in their respective hospital beds. Ty facing out , while Coby and
>Becky
>facing in towards him. Ty lay there with arms held outstretched to clasp
>the
>hands of his wife and son. All three wore neck braces and the conversation
>was saturated with sentiments of love, humor and gratitude.
>
>Ty's condition is serious and he is still in the SICU (Surgical Intensive
>Care Unit) at the Hillcrest facility of UCSD Medical Center. He is in a
>great deal of pain, but the miracle is that he has no spinal, nerve or
>brain
>damage. This is a tough, tough dude we're talking about. After spending the
>day with him and talking with his nurses and doctors, I'm convinced that
>any
>other man would be paralyzed over most of his body.
>
>The update on his injuries includes:
>
>1. Fractured Pelvis on the lower-right-hand side;
>
>2. Several fractured vertebrae in the thoracic and lumbar area (not sure
>which ones or how many). But these fractures left no loose pieces to
>interfere with either mobility or recovery;
>
>3. 12 broken ribs on the right side and 4 broken on the left side. Many of
>the broken ribs are broken in several places, but none were compound;
>
>4. Fractured Occipital Condyle (base of the scull that rests atop the Atlas
>of the spine and allows the head to swivel, dip and turn). Again, this
>fracture appears not to have left any fragments loose, but that estimate
>was
>as of late last night, prior to an MRI.
>
>5. The lung thought to be punctured was in fact badly beaten, but not
>punctured after all. The down-side is that he was left with fluid and air
>trapped between rib-cage and lungs, which required tubes to be inserted
>into
>each side of his rib-cage to allow these elements to extract. Prior to this
>treatment, Ty had a severely swollen face on the left side and could not
>see
>out of his left eye. Within an hour of inserting the tubes, the swelling
>subsided and improvement was both significant and visible.
>
>6. Lost cartilage behind his right ear. This will require they sew his ear
>back to the side of his head until the tissue has a chance to heal. Later,
>they will release the ear to decide if plastic surgery is required. Knowing
>Ty, he'll look great either way.
>
>7. Ty had an unusual amount of gravel stuck in his scalp. For most of the
>day, while talking with him, he'd pick at it and periodically find little
>gems of Baja nuggets to remind him of his ordeal.
>
>For those of us who have had the misfortune of breaking a rib, we know that
>one is enough to bring you to your knees - Ty has 16 broken ribs. The pain
>is indescribable and will last for many weeks. Kirk and I were in Ty's room
>while the Neurosurgeon examined him and our mouths were left wide open at
>the absolutely, totally and in all other ways normal responses Ty was able
>to provide. He is clearly the luckiest man on Earth who offers proof that
>fairies, angels and miracles do exist. He is beaten so badly, but offers
>nothing but humor and his selfless concern for others. He will be fine, but
>it will be a long, long road. He will probably remain in San Diego until
>the
>pain subsides enough to move him closer to home and Becky will remain with
>him for the duration. Nobody except immediate relatives are allowed
>visitation rights in the SICU (Kirk and I told the doctors we were his
>brothers), so please do not plan to visit him there. Nor can he take your
>calls or receive flowers, but I'm sure a card or two might be nice upon his
>return home. Their address is: 1350 Hampshire Circle, Newport Beach, CA
>92660
>
>In closing, it is always inspiring to see the community of friends who come
>to the aid of loved ones. If the measure of a man's wealth is seen in the
>love others have for him, then it is clear that the Peterson's are easily
>the richest people on Earth. Thanks to Kirk and Brett and everyone else who
>had their hands in the swarm of phone calls that began within an hour of
>the
>accident and helped the rest of us feel as though we might have a hand in
>their full recovery. And we all owe Lyle a huge round of applause for
>leading the entire crew in Mexico in their efforts that turned tragedy into
>an outright miracle. Thanks Lyle for bringing our friends home safely.
>
>If you think that someone else might want to peruse this summary, please
>forward it to them. Good will from all parts of the globe speed recovery.
>And Ty, Becky and Riley will need all the good will, good vibes and prayers
>for the speediest of recoveries. And please accept my apologies if any of
>the details have changed since late last night. This is a dynamic and fluid
>event and changes ought to be expected as time rolls on.
>
>All the best,

>Q

who could possibly pillage in a situation like this? why didn't other passers-by/rescuers kick some major asss?

ah, humanity in the modern world......

Who is playing a blame game? Certainly NOT me!(probably sounded like it tho)I have known people, friends and family that have had roll-overs and accidents that were NOT wearing their seatbelts and that fact saved their lives! Sometimes I wonder about that law.What an amazing story.Look what love and a love for life can do.

Skeet, sorry to say this, and this probably does not belong in this thread, but you are the one doing a disservice to the travellers to Mexico.

It's not about the quality or caring of the doctors and nurses. The "fancy equipment", as you call it, can at times, and severe trauma can be one of those times, make the difference between life and death or healing and being crippled.

So BS on you - urgent medical care, in Baja DOES suck - there are countless examples of that, and to ignore it, you gotta be (well, I don't know what you gotta be, and I'm going to be nice). Even mexican doctors will tell you that if you get in a situation like this one, get the hell out of the country as fast as you can.

Fortunately these folks were able to do just that, though I can't imagine the pain that must have been endured during that trip. Best wishes to all involved.

One final question - you're not saying that all doctors in Mexico go to Mexico City for training are you? And given a choice between say UCSD or UCLA or Johns Hopkins, and Mexico City, where do YOU think a student would go?

[Edited on 8-10-2007 by Roberto]

Of course. Maybe we're getting somewhere here.

Skeet, I know, understand, and have witnessed the care that Baja folk in general have towards others - regardless of who they are and where they come from. I support them as much as you do, though you have spend WAY more time there than I have. On the other hand, you're a MUCH older fart than I am.

Anyway, can we get that out of the way? The station that people occupy in life means nothing to me. All I care about is WHO they are, regardless, by the way, of where they come from.

I'm just saying something very simple, which is this: when it comes to urgent medical care, the equipment can make the difference. I don't care what country you're in, or what your training is. This is where money DOES make a difference. Medical care can be expensive. Where I come from, major cities (3 million plus), might have 2 MRI machines. Where I live, in Poway, CA, the neighborhood hospital has two - a small town with MAYBE 100,000 people. How many hospitals in Baja do you think have MRI machines? These are very expensive machines that can and do save lives. When I walk into the emergency center in the same neighborhood hospital because I've had an accident, they have the facilities to perform an organ transplant if they need to - maybe not there, but available. How many hospitals in Baja do you think can perform major surgery or organ transplants? Again, I'm not talking willingness or ability, I'm talking FACILITIES.

But, the bottom line is this. When this type of equipment can make the difference, care in Baja sucks, and the Mexicanos are the ones who suffer. Not because the people don't care, not because they don't work hard, not because they are bad people (quite the contraty) - but because the system they live in does not provide them the circumstances to have what they need to take care of themselves. I'm sure you see the difference.

I hope you understand what I'm saying. I know you care about these people, that they are your friends, but frankly, I'm getting pretty sick and tired of your sweeping sweeping statements about folks with different backgrounds from yours that you have no knowledge about. Tone it down, Skeet, there are others besides you in the world who care.

[Edited on 8-12-2007 by Roberto]

OK if I take a shot?

Explain why emergency vehicles aren't afforded right-of-way.


Kinda blows holes through that compassionate theory, don't it?

Then it must just be a local custom...in TJ, Rosarito and Ensenada. I have never seen a local alter their driving habits for an emergency vehicle...ever.

Folks do respect funeral processions, however.

Die first...then comes compassion.

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave Then it must just be a local custom...in TJ, Rosarito and Ensenada. I have never seen a local alter their driving habits for an emergency vehicle...ever.

Night driving

When Highway One was completed in Central Baja (Dec. 1, 1973), we were told the extra narrow section of the highway, between San Quintin and San Ignacio, was temporary (done to complete the project within budget and on time)... and that it would be widened soon!

Doesn't the story say the most badly injured were sent to GN for a night, so the air ambulance could come pick them up there in the AM? The other two were sent north with their friends who were traveling with them. It's all in the story posted here.

Quote:

Originally posted by David K When Highway One was completed in Central Baja (Dec. 1, 1973), we were told the extra narrow section of the highway, between San Quintin and San Ignacio, was temporary (done to complete the project within budget and on time)... and that it would be widened soon!

Roads without a shoulder leave no margin for error. You run off the road, as Shari says "ride it out". Have lived over a hundred miles from reliable medical care, anybody asked about my family doctor, my family doctor was a helicopter ride.

Quote:

Originally posted by Minnow Doesn't the story say the most badly injured were sent to GN for a night, so the air ambulance could come pick them up there in the AM? The other two were sent north with their friends who were traveling with them. It's all in the story posted here.

Thank you Minnow, for answering. Yes, I read the same story as you. What you say is true about overnighting in a GN clinic. As you say, "the air ambulance could come pick them up", but did they?

........or as Oldhippie says, they probably went by ambulance. These two scenarios are vastly different if time is of the essence. I was hoping that those who know the accident victims, and who posted here originally, could tell us the mechanics of how they were evacuated. Who did they call? Who responded? How were the financial arrangements handled? They obviously were successful at getting the injured to San Diego quickly after being stabilized overnight in GN.

I think these questions are in the true spirit of Nomads helping Nomads. We can all benefit from their experience.

I did sign up with Celia Diaz of BiNational, last year. It is comforting to have your ducks in a row before an emergency. If airplanes and helicopters can't get in there, we need to know this, and make other arrangements.

Shari, thank you for your wise words of caution and your offer to help, if needed. NOMADS....listen to Shari!!! It is too easy to get careless or to think "this can't happen to me".

Toneart
I have been waiting for that answer too.
And still am!

Quote:

Originally posted by craiggers Quote: Originally posted by David K When Highway One was completed in Central Baja (Dec. 1, 1973), we were told the extra narrow section of the highway, between San Quintin and San Ignacio, was temporary (done to complete the project within budget and on time)... and that it would be widened soon! Extra narrow section of the highway, between San Quintin and San Ignacio? That's funny, I never noticed any difference. How much narrower is it? They should have saved money by leaving out those little white concrete suicide polls just off the shoulder. What are they there for? Just to remind you that if you are hanging off the shoulder that you have really screwd up and 100kph=62mph 80kph=49mph 60kph=37mph [Edited on 8-13-2007 by craiggers] [Edited on 8-13-2007 by craiggers]

Yes indeed, at Km. marker 0 on the south side of Lazaro Card##as (San Quintin) the pavement shrinks to nearly 19 feet wide... plus the road is elevated with no shoulders... A real death maker for those with trailers, motorhomes, Hummers, etc. when passing cars or being passed.

Pavement at the end of 1972 had reached near San Quintin going south and almost to San Ignacio going north.

When I said between San Quintin and San Ignacio I was refering to the last section of Hwy. 1 to get built. That was 350 miles, which all happened in 1973.

From Santa Rosalia on south, I think the highway is not as narrow and has some shoulders too.

Photo near San Agustin...



(bottom photo of Hwy. 1 taken by jrbaja to illustrate the narrowness and danger)

[Edited on 8-14-2007 by David K]

It was Binational Emergency Medical Care Committee

When Someone Signals For You To Pass

Not so sure that the thinking goes that far. I doubt there is any feeling of moral justification. It is more likely, take it because it is there. It is a very common practice. To carry the practice even further, the custom is to take anything that cannot be protected, whether it be in or outside of a vehicle or in or outside of a house. Everything is fair game.