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American Morning

Story of Woman Driving Runaway Truck

Aired May 31, 2002 - 09:21   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: One minute, Elizabeth Jordan is cruising along New York's Long Island Expressway, and the next, she is Sandra Bullock in "Speed." Only this time, without a stunt double. Her ordeal began when she was going 85, and her brakes failed. She did manage to dial 911. Here's how that went.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

911: What lane are you in now?

ELIZABETH JORDAN, DRIVER OF RUNAWAY CAR: I am in -- on the shoulder and in the right lane, and there are cars in front of me, and I'm going to hit someone. I am going to hit someone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: With the help from the 911 operator and a police officer who sped in front of her SUV to eventually bring it to a stop, the runaway ride finally came to a halt. Elizabeth Jordan is with us this morning, along with her newfound friend, the hero cop, officer Edwin Hernandez.

Good morning to both of you.

You're one lucky woman, huh?

JORDAN: I am.

HEMMER: And you are one courageous man.

OFFICER EDWIN HERNANDEZ: Thank you.

HEMMER: Johnny on the spot, right place, right time.

Take us back to Wednesday morning, 8:30 a.m., rush hour traffic. You are 50 miles an hour. You got to pass a car, and suddenly you're Chevrolet Blazer speeds up.

JORDAN: To 85 miles an hour. I realize I was going too fast.

HEMMER: Was it the accelerator? Was it the brake? What happened?

JORDAN: I think it was probably both, because when I put it into neutral, you could hear the engine revving. So it wouldn't engage. But also when I put my break on, it wouldn't work either.

HEMMER: What was going through your mind?

JORDAN: I'm going to die.

HEMMER: Really? You thought that was the end?

JORDAN: Yes.

HEMMER: Let's go back to a piece of videotape again from the 911 call. This is what happened next on 911.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

911: See the cop?

JORDAN: Yes.

911: OK, what he's going to do is he's going to get in front of you and he is going to slow you down.

JORDAN: OK.

911: OK. So if you tap the back of his car, that's OK.

JORDAN: Should I pass him?

911: No, don't pass him. Have you tried turning the car off?

JORDAN: No, I haven't. I can't right now. I'm going to hit him.

911: OK, get right behind the cop car.

JORDAN: I'm right behind him.

911: Right behind him, OK. You're going to hit the back of him.

JORDAN: I know. It's OK. I hit him.

911: You got him?

JORDAN: I got him!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: Was it that smooth?

HERNANDEZ: Well, it sounds smooth on tape, but it wasn't really that smooth. We took some bump when she first made contact with my vehicle.

HEMMER: You were sitting on the side of the road writing speeding tickets for motorcycles, is that right?

HERNANDEZ: That's correct. HEMMER: You see her car come by.

By the way, you're an emergency technician, right.

JORDAN: Yes.

HEMMER: On a volunteer basis.

She's got a siren in the front of her car. She's honking her horn she's going by?

HERNANDEZ: No, she never came by the vehicle. What happens is I'm listening to this whole scenario on my police radio, she came up behind me, and I'm watching her come up behind me in my rearview mirror. That's when I pulled out in front of her.

HEMMER: Did you want the hit the back of his car?

JORDAN: Yes, more than anything I wanted to hit him.

HEMMER: So you were willing to do that?

JORDAN: Oh yes, more than willing.

HEMMER: But you didn't turn off your car off, and I think that's a really important thing, because had you done that, perhaps the steering wheel would have locked up.

JORDAN: That was the fear, that I would lose control of the car, it would stop, and someone would rear-end me in the traffic.

HEMMER: How were you getting around vehicles at 80 miles an hour.

JORDAN: I had a big truck. I have no idea. I don't know how I did it. I had a big truck, and for some reason, the New Yorkers were really nice today. Yes, and they let me through.

HEMMER: You come to her car, officer, and what happens.

HERNANDEZ: Well, after we got her car stopped, I came over to her car. Her car is totally racing, the tires are smoking, I just reached in, I grabbed the shifter lever, and I just yanked it up into park, and I turned her vehicle off, and I asked her if she was OK. She was shaking like a leaf inside the vehicle.

HEMMER: You guys friends now?

JORDAN: Yes, he's my hero. The dispatcher my hero. I'm just happy I'm alive.

HEMMER: I understand the car was actually still moving even when you approached it. Apparently it was some force still. Yes, well what happens is the her car was engaged in that acceleration mode, and when we stopped, she actually was pushing the PD, even though we had the emergency brake on, but I was able to run back and grab the car and get the...

HEMMER: Have you ever done this before?

HERNANDEZ: This is the first time this has ever happened.

HEMMER: Have you ever practiced it before?

HERNANDEZ: Absolutely not.

HEMMER: Does anyone ever do this?

HERNANDEZ: No, we have an emergency vehicle operation course that we go through every three years, and also once we come out of the academy. But this is not part of the training.

HEMMER: I understand your father passed away three years ago, Elizabeth.

JORDAN: Yes, he did.

HEMMER: Do you feel like there was angel up there?

JORDAN: He was watching over me, without a doubt.

HEMMER: How is your mom?

JORDAN: She's a wreck, but she's hanging in there.

HEMMER: A great ending to an incredible story. And it's good to see you guys today. How do you feel going back in traffic, by the way?

JORDAN: I'm not ready for it yet.

HEMMER: You're not?

JORDAN: No, I'm not.

With time, Elizabeth Jordan, thanks for sharing your story. Wednesday morning, a rush hour you will never forget. Wow.

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