'I’m still fearful': Triad retired pastor and his wife are recovering at home after hit-and-run crash in Davidson County
A Triad retired pastor and his wife are recovering at home after a hit-and-run crash left them injured in Davidson County.
North Carolina state troopers said the crash happened on North Carolina 109, near John Wright Road, Sunday.
Deputies are still searching for the suspect in the gray truck.
WXII 12 News talked with retired pastor Hulon Pait, 75, of Thomasville, and Janie Pait, 77, of Thomasville, who were the victims of the crash.
Hulon Pait suffered a dislocated right shoulder, and Janie Pait suffered several broken bones.
"It was a fearful thing. It’s not going away. I still think about it and I still see his bumper, him hitting me in the back with his bumper in the rearview mirror and not believing he’s doing this," said Hulon Pait.
Hulon Pait and his wife were traveling to a funeral Sunday afternoon.
He said he tried to pass a driver of a gray truck on the left side, and the driver got upset.
"I just normally pass somebody and that’s it, and I had no idea that it was going to bother him," he said.
The driver soon after rammed his truck into Pait's vehicle three times — each time harder than the previous, he said.
"A man that will do that to you with his vehicle, I don’t know what he might do if he comes by here with a gun or something," he said.
After the fourth hit, Pait said his vehicle spun out into the nearby woods.
Stan Thompson said he's grateful that his mother and step-father are alive, but he's urging people to help find the driver responsible for the crash to help keep other families safe on the road.
"You want to make sure this person is not on the road anymore to hurt anybody else. He could kill somebody next time," he said. "If somebody wrongs him in some sort of way, this is somebody who can kill somebody for the slightest thing, if they get that upset for somebody passing them in a traffic situation."
Hulon Pait said he's thankful he and his wife are alive, and they're leaning on their faith to guide them through the uncertainty as they heal.
"She’s doing better, but it’s still hard for her to get up and down. A lot of problems with that. A lot of pain. I have to help her with everywhere she goes," he said. "We got God with us, and if had not had that Sunday, we wouldn’t be here today."
Pait also stressed to drivers to not react when they're experiencing road rage from another driver.
"About road rage, do your best to get out of it and leave it alone," he said.