I saw a dead person today. (Warning: possibly graphic)

[Madrone]

A woman. Older. White-haired. Broken, cut, and lying face down at an unnatural angle in the road.

I was on my way back from yet ANOTHER veterinary appointment and took the back way home - an old, winding canyon road that runs alongside the Yakima river and that used to be the old highway. I had Jenn (the addict that used to live with me) along, and saw what appeared to be smoke from a recent and raging fire up ahead. I remarked that that fire looked new, and that it appeared to be close to the road. After rounding a couple of curves I saw it - a vehicle, off to the right hand side of the road ABLAZE - raging unlike any car fire I've ever seen, and the pine trees and grass around it were also raging - and getting hotter. I slowed down, there were a number of cars off the left hand side of the road, and a group of people crouched down directly across the street from the flaming vehicle, on the other side of the guard rail. As I'm creeping by - numbed by everything happening Jenn says "Oh my god. What is THAT?" and points to the shoulder off to the left hand side of the road. I look out my window and see the nameless woman - broken, unmoving. She's on the inside of the guardrail, the group of crouching people are up 10-15 feet, on the other side of it. No one is near her which tells me it must be too late for her. She's been left, alone, in the road.

"Oh my god, Jenn. It's a body. A lady. She must be dead."

Just past the fire I pull over. "Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god." We're both in shock and starting to cry. I fumbled for my cell phone - figuring someone must have called already, but just in case feel I should call it in as well. As I'm pulling out my phone explosions start occurring behind me - I'm too close and have no cell signal, so I pull forward 20 feet. I call 911 and they've already received calls reporting the accident. I consider getting out, walking back to see if I can help, but there are already a number of people stopped, I don't want to get in the way, and I don't want to be a gawker. A few minutes after I drive away I wonder if I shouldn't have at least gotten out and taken a blanket from the back of my car to cover the poor, broken woman in the road to shield her from view and give her a little dignity.

I'm haunted by the image of this woman, thoughts of her family, what could have happened, and the welfare of anyone else that may have also been in the vehicle. I feel sick about the entire situation, and can't believe what I just saw. My best wishes, vibes, condolences, etc to anyone else involved in this accident and their family members - and to the woman left in the road ... RIP. :cry:

[Tuesday Afternoon]

1. yeah ...

I know the feeling. :hug:

[Haole Girl]

2. How horrible

Don't feel guilty about not stopping. I'm sure someone covered up the woman shortly after that time and it is a danger, really, when too many people stop at an accident scene.

:hug:

[Madrone]

6. I don't feel guilty -

There were already a number of people stopped. If there had only been a couple of people I would have DEFINITELY stopped. No guilt - just concern and wondering what the hell HAPPENED.

[KitchenWitch]

3. ...

I have really no words that will help.

:hug:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. My dear Madrone...

That's a tough place to be, sweetie...

Don't blame yourself for your actions...

It's very hard to think under those shocking circumstances...

:hug:

[Madrone]

7. I don't blame myself.

See my reply to KC2 above. :hug:

[Chan790]

5. Well...

not that it'll make you feel better, but...you did all the right things. Stayed out of the way, called in the accident, didn't disturb the scene, left in a timely and orderly fashion, cleared the scene before pulling off the road because you were disturbed by what you saw, didn't drive in a emotionally-dangerous state, didn't linger or gawk,...

The last things you should ever do in that situation:

Get out of the car. I used to live on a dangerous accident-plagued section of road. You don't want to know how many single-fatality accidents I saw become double or triple fatalities because people get out of their car and then get hit themselves.

Disturb an accident scene, especially add or take anything away. Not only is it a bad idea and one that can destroy an investigation. It's also a felony almost everywhere.

Edit: I'm sorry that you had to see that...I've seen it a lot and they still disturb me.

[Madrone]

8. I WOULD have gotten out of the car had there not already been a number of people stopped already.

I don't think I could NOT get out if I came upon that scene and been one of the first people to do so.

Question though - for future reference - would covering a dead body from view be considered "disturbing the scene"? I wouldn't think so ... but I guess I really don't know proper protocol.

[fizzgig]

9. i don't think it would be a problem in that type of situation

it's not like it was a murder scene and there was evidence that was going to be contaminated

and :hug:...i know how hard it is to see something like that

[Chan790]

10. Generally...treat it like a crime scene...

the less you do, the better. I've heard stories from the local cops (the joy of working at Starbucks in a one-coffee-shop town) about people who should know better...EMTs/paramedics, police officers, morgue personnel, even scene re-constructionists...contaminating a scene. They're trained to know how to not contaminate a scene or accidentally destroy evidence.

And it's not wrong to stop (in fact, you should) in a safe location if you're first person on scene (you're the best witness they're going to get usually) and even to check to make sure the potentially-injured-or-dead are okay...if you have them, put up flares or reflectors to alert other drivers...but as much as possible, stay in the car. If you're in the car and get hit...the car takes the brunt of the impact. If you're outside the car...you take the impact.

Generally, be careful where you step if you're the first one there and no you should not cover the body...who knows what was on the blanket that might get transferred or what might get carried away. When the police cover a body, they know where they got the sheet from and what was on it. (Ideally, nothing.) The sheet-and-all goes to the crime lab/morgue. It's a tightly-controlled chain.

[Madrone]

11. Gotcha...

And yes - my blanket was definitely dog-hair infested. It just seemed so... wrong... to have her uncovered on the side of the road for everyone to see. What you're saying does make sense though.

[rockergirl]

12. I know the people whom died....tragedy

Madrone - you probably know there relatives as well if you live in Roslyn as that is where they reside as well. If you are interested in chatting send me a message and we can have a private conversation about this as I would rather not post for the world to read since it is rather tragic.
Rockergirl

[Madrone]

13. I am SO, SO sorry.

:hug:

I cannot send you a private message - it won't allow me. Perhaps because your post count is too low. I will be happy to post my email address for you but before doing so I'll wait for you to reply to this. I'd like to know you're online so I can go in and edit out my email address before the time runs out to do so.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Writer]

14. How horrible. I am so sorry you had that experience.

:hug: