San Jose

Car Narrowly Misses Firefighter, Slams Into Fire Truck in San Jose

A driver behind the wheel of a sedan slammed into the back of a fire truck in San Jose early Wednesday morning, narrowly missing a firefighter who was working outside of the rig, according to the city's fire department.

Despite being temporarily trapped in the vehicle, the driver of the sedan was eventually extricated and taken to a local trauma center following the wreck, which happened around 3:30 a.m. in the area of Capitol Expressway and Tuers Road, San Jose Fire Department Deputy Chief Reggie Williams said. The firefighter who was almost struck managed to dive out of the way before the car whizzed by.

Fire crews working at the scene of a vegetation fire parked the fire truck in the far right lane of the roadway, Williams said. The firefighter who was nearly hit was resetting cones that had been knocked over by other drivers when they spotted the car driving at them. The firefighter leaped to safety as the sedan whizzed by and crashed into the truck.

The fire truck's lights were on at the time of the crash, Williams said.

The driver's condition was not immediately known, Williams said. The firefighters at the scene escaped physical harm, but Williams said they were "a bit shaken up."

Officials are investigating to determine the cause of the crash.

Wednesday's wreck marks the second time in roughly a month that a passing vehicle crashed into a San Jose fire rig, according to Williams.

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