[38yrsfan]

S. Calif., 1978, getting discharged from the military soon. 2 buddies and I decide to grab some beer and see the sights around town and the area one last time. The beer mostly gone we stop to drain the main and notice a rear tire, left side looks a little ragged from driving over something on those desert dirt roads. Influenced enough and a little tired we decide to let it ride and change it back at the base. Getting back on the pavement we drive a few miles and are rounding a right-hand curve when the left rear blows swerving us over to the guard rail. I jerk the wheel to straighten up, hit the rail at an angle ( it's one of those low type, more for marking the edge rather than stopping cars) and we vault over it. Speed was around 55 mph. Down below is the main interstate between LA and Vegas. Impact hit my forehead against the steering wheel and I see stars and black. As we turn upside down, I remember thinking to myself; "it sure is taking a long time to hit the ground". Still groggy from the forehead smack, I hear in the background metal crunching and glass breaking. We had finally landed, straight down on the roof after sailing over a 60 ft embankment more like a cliff than a slope, smashed the roof flat, making it even with the trunk and hood, seat belts helped keep me and the guy in front stationary, only broke my collar bone and the other guy slightly cracked his sternum. GI in the back thought wearing your belt was sissy and never did - almost died, in a coma for 3 weeks (he recovered) and got me nailed with a very serious time before the judge. My BAT was below legal limit but the extenuating circumstances (the auto accident) got me arrested and the fact that I had to use an over-worked public defender got me nailed in court to no jail time but a black mark in the file and some long term probation. Never went back to California after that.

Oh yea, when we landed it was upside down, on the highway shoulder, facing the wrong way and 20 feet in front of a highway patrol car monitoring traffic! We both had an "oh shit" moment. Needless to say we had help right away. Naturally they had to pry the doors open to get us out and I can still remember somebody asking "everybody OK in there?" before the fire department showed up with extraction tools. I almost answered "sure buddy, just a little tire problem" but it didn't seem wise after a little hesitation.