Man Escapes Serious Injury after Plummeting off Interstate

Christina Cole

Contributor

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A man escaped serious injury Tuesday when his SUV plummeted off of Interstate 89, down a 40ft embankment and came to rest on its side beneath the busy underpass.

David Pelkey, 30, received shoulder and facial injuries and he was treated and released. Pelkey was trapped in his overturned Chevy Tahoe for 20 minutes before rescue crews from Colchester, Winooski and Mallettes Bay were able to free him by removing the roof of the SUV.

Pelkey was alert and responsive and told officials he was driving approximately 70 miles per hour in the southbound lane when he veered into the median, causing him to lose control, but he had no further explanation for the accident.

Campbell said it appeared the SUV hit a metal guardrail on the median just north of the bridge over U.S. 7 at Exit 16, then hit a concrete abutment, which catapulted the vehicle back across the two lanes of the Interstate, down the bank and onto the highway below.

No other cars were involved, either on the Interstate or on U.S. 7. Campbell said he found no tire marks on the Interstate indicating Pelkey had braked sharply or veered to avoid another vehicle. Pelkey was wearing his seat belt. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.