On Dec. 29, Christina Taylor, had a seizure while driving her SUV down U.S. 19 in Port Richey. Her boyfriend grabbed the wheel and tried to avoid other cars but couldn’t react in time to avoid an accident.
New video released by Port Richey Police shows the moment of impact as Taylor collided with another car in the intersection at more than 70 miles per hour.
“She’s extremely depressed,” Chris Collins, Taylor’s boyfriend told ABC Action News reporter Michael Paluska.
“Her hands went up, and her whole body went ridge and stuff,” Collins said. “I couldn’t reach her legs. When the light at Ridge road turned red I see 20 to 30 cars in front of me. I jumped the median and when I jumped the median I missed two cars. The last thing I remember before waking up upside down and letting myself out of my buckle, is hitting a silver car I don't remember getting t-boned on my side.”
Collins said he had no other options but to try and maneuver the car until his girlfriend’s seizure stopped, or he could somehow get the car to stop.
“At a snap judgment call I made the right decision to hop the median,” Collins said.
In the video a bicyclist in the crosswalk misses getting hit and most likely killed by Taylor’s car by mere seconds.
“I have multiple sclerosis and so I'm supposed to try and stay active, my back spine and neck is affected,” Maureen Heitman said. Heitman was driving the second car hit by Taylor. She’s had to hire an attorney because Taylor was driving without insurance at the time of the accident. Taylor was cited by Port Richey police for driving on a suspended license.
“Their insurance lapsed so they didn't have insurance to cover that incident,” Heitman said. “Right now, it is unknown whether I'll get any kind of monies back because of this incident because this person has no coverage. The people that are innocent suffer the most and that was hard to accept.”
Heitman broke down while watching the video of the crash. Wiping away tears she said she was grateful to be alive. But, the accident has changed her life.
“It's taking up so much of my life, with time and stress,” Heitman said. “I'm trying to move forward with my life. But, now it's putting me back again because of this it feels like my life is on hold.”
Collins said he had no clue his girlfriend’s insurance had lapsed and her license was suspended. He said they have three children together and would have never done anything illegal to put their livelihoods in danger.
“She doesn't understand why it's happened now, why she had a seizure at the age of 36, she's never had one,” Collins said.
Collins also said he knows other drivers have hired lawyers. He offered up his apologies for what happened and wishes he could’ve done more to stop the car.
“I was trying to avoid everybody I was trying to make sure nobody got hurt and everybody was safe I am sorry the vehicle touched your cars. I'm sorry I changed your life with this accident, I really am it hurts me deep inside to know what happened cause of this damage,” Collins said.
