Wow!

Over 7 years ago...

I was sleeping, alone in the house, early morning (aka after midnight).  I was suddenly awakened by a loud noise, so loud that I jumped out of the bed...  in those brief moments of semi-consciousness, when your body/brain tells you something is very wrong, get up and be prepared to survive...

I heard the car-alarm going off...

I grabbed the phone, and another thing, and went to investigate...

As I exited my front door, I saw my truck smashed, actually still smoking/dusty, and another vehicle, barely "limping" down the street.

I called 911.

I put the other thing away inside, and went back outside.  I quickly determined that my truck, parked in my driveway, had been struck by another vehicle, and said vehicle was now "limping" down the street... as the 911 Operator came on, I explained what had happened, what I was seeing, and what I subsequently was witnessing.

At least two people got out of the car and ran away.  The Police showed up very quickly and was able to detain the driver.  Who was subsequently charged with and convicted of a DUI.  They never got the other two.

When the sun came up, I was able to see the skid marks, the path the offending vehicle took...  I saw that had I actually pulled my truck into the garage, there would have been a vehicle in my kitchen!  Likewise, the glancing blow, caused the vehicle to literally rip through my front yard, completely missing an Ocotillo that was at least 100 years old... based on size and DBG (Desert Botanical Garden) consultation.


To this day, I'm glad the damage was minimal.  I am happy no one was seriously hurt. 

As a few after-notes...

Two weeks later, there was a microburst that toppled that Ocotillo!  A 100 year old plant, missed one death, but was taken anyways!

A few days after the microburst... there was someone who came to my door, asking permission to take some of the "green stalks" in order to try to replant them and allow them to continue to grow!

Now, over 7 years later, I recently saw several Ocotillos growing in an urban wash near that location...  I wonder... and I hope... that at least one of them came from my yard!