A heart-stopping emergency in Minnesota unfolded when a teenager found himself in a runaway vehicle hurtling down the highway at 120 mph.
At a Glance
- Teenager Sam Dutcher’s SUV experienced unintended acceleration, reaching 120 mph.
- It’s believed the vehicle’s computer had a malfunction, creating a perilous situation.
- Trooper Zach Gruver strategized a successful stop by having the SUV crash into his squad car.
- The incident’s urgency was heightened by the highway ending at a T-intersection.
Unintentional Acceleration Nightmare
Sam Dutcher, a teenager, faced a harrowing ordeal when his Honda Pilot accelerated uncontrollably in rural Minnesota. The SUV swiftly reached 120 mph, with unresponsive brakes and gears exacerbating the crisis. Dutcher, unable to use the vehicle’s voice command to call 911, instead called his mother for help. Authorities were alerted to the unfolding emergency, spurring them into action.
The SUV, recently serviced for a sticking accelerator, likely suffered a computer malfunction according to early assessments. The incident’s location near Hitterdal, Minnesota, with the highway about to end in a T-intersection, increased the urgency of resolving the threat.
FROM THE WINY RADIO NEWSROOM: A crash saved a teenager whose car suddenly sped up to 120 mph in the rural Midwest
(AP)https://t.co/5so05glxeZ— WINY Radio (@WINYRadio) October 3, 2024
Quick Thinking and Heroism
Minnesota State Trooper Zach Gruver responded swiftly, developing a plan under extreme pressure: orchestrating a controlled crash. “That was really all I could think of that was going to get him stopped in time,” Gruver noted when recalling the urgency of the moment as they approached a T-intersection.
During the ordeal, one trooper managed to get in front of Dutcher, at which point Dutcher was instructed to strike the back of the squad car. The Honda’s crash mitigation system activated during the crash, allowing the vehicle to decelerate safely. The maneuver ended without injury to Dutcher, a testament to Gruver’s decisive actions.
Lessons Learned and Measures Taken
After the vehicle was safely stopped, attention turned to the cause of the malfunction. Honda advised that the SUV be thoroughly inspected to prevent future occurrences. The event’s capture on dashcam offers valuable insights into effective crisis aversion measures.
“Sam did great,” said Gruver when discussing the incident. “I don’t think there’s a whole lot of people that could deal with that pressure.”
Trooper Gruver praised Dutcher’s calm demeanor under pressure, reflecting on the event’s outcome positively. Families should heed any alerts regarding vehicle performance anomalies and ensure timely inspections to mitigate potential hazards.
Sources
- A crash saved a teenager whose car suddenly sped up to 120 mph in the rural Midwest
- A crash saved a teenager whose car suddenly sped up to 120 mph in western Minnesota