Right place, right time: Women in car that blocked suspected drunk driver talk about the crash
Women in car that blocked suspected drunk driver speak
Two women who blocked a suspected drunk driver in a crash that almost took out a family on the crosswalk say it was like they were in the wrong time, at the wrong place, but at the same time, it was like they were in the right time, at the right place. FOX 10's Matt Galka reports.
PHOENIX - It's a video that's already making headlines across the country.
The video shows a couple pushing a stroller nearly hit by a red light runner while in the crosswalk. That family was ultimately saved by another vehicle that happened to be going through that intersection, and on Thursday, the woman who was behind the wheel of the car that was hit by the red light runner spoke about what happened.
There was a family in the car that was hit as well, with a mother, daughter, and a three-year-old boy inside. That family likely saved the family crossing the street, and even though they got hit by a suspected drunk driver, they believe they were meant to be there.
"Once we got out, I noticed that everybody was OK, I noticed the people leaving, I was just happy we were all alive and good," said Shannon Vivar, who was driving the car that was hit in the heart-stopping video.
Shannon Vivar
Vivar's Chevrolet Cruze happened to be in the way of a suspected drunk driver who ran a red light, speeding towards a family crossing the street at 53rd Avenue and Indian School Road.
"I just yelled out to my daughter and said, 'oh my gosh! Oh my gosh, Shannon!'" said Shirley Vivar, who was in the car that got hit. "That's all I remember. Next thing we know, we just collided."
Shirley Vivar
According to Police, Ernesto Oveso ran from the scene after the collision with a female passenger. A witness tried to follow him, but police say Oveso threatened him with a knife before eventually being caught.
Ernesto Oveso
Amazingly, Shannon, Shirley, and Shannon's three-year-old son all lived, along with the family crossing the street. Was it a coincidence or just blind luck? The Vivars call it "divine intervention".
"I'm kind of in a situation where I'm in debt now with the car and everything," said Shannon. "It doesn't matter about the material. Saving a person's life, even though it wasn't my intention to, the way I see it is it was meant to happen that way."
"That Jeep could've hit that family, but it hit us," said Shirley. "It's a blessing. It's a blessing. It's like a wrong time at the wrong place, and then it's like a right time at the right place type of thing."
Shannon says they have about $15,000 worth of damage to the car, but she said it doesn't matter because the family crossing the street got to live.