LEBANON, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Lebanon man said he is lucky to be alive.
Kevin Smith has endured a dozen surgeries in just a matter of days — this after he was hit by a car in Louisiana. The circumstances are bizarre. Police say the driver was high on opioids, and he left Smith near dead in the roadway.
This disturbing case is eerily similar to that of Janae Edmondson — the high school student from Smyrna who was hit and seriously injured in St. Louis. She lost her legs.
In this case, a 54-year-old man was hit by a car, suffering horrible injuries to his legs. Smith is recovering in his hospital room in Louisiana. The long-haul trucker from Lebanon was unloading his truck when he was hit by the driver of the car.
"I don't remember what happened, but they did not let me die, and God saved my life. He did," said Smith from his hospital bed.
"He had his flashers on. He was parked where he was supposed to park. He did nothing wrong," said his wife Tuesday.
Witnesses say Smith was tossed in the air as the suspect sped from the scene. Tuesday says her husband only survived because of a quick response from Good Samaritans and paramedics.
"First responders have been visiting because they didn't know if he was going to make it. He was minutes from dying."
Police found the hit-and-run driver nearby unconscious behind the wheel. They revived him from an opioid overdose. Tuesday is furious the guy is already out of jail.
"At the same time I'm finding out my husband was having more surgeries, I'm finding out this guy is out on bond."
Tuesday says they'll help prosecute the suspect. But the focus now is healing her husband, who is thankful for the well-wishes. Police say the suspect in the case had several prior drug arrests — two previous DUIs and driving with a suspended license.
Tuesday Smith says he never should have been free and behind the wheel to hurt her husband. Smith faces a long recovery and mounting medical bills. MJ4Hope is helping to raise money for the family.
You can go here to give: https://www.mj4hope.org/
