SWAS Lubbock Dive Shop Owners Total Truck & Trailer In Wreck - But Are OK!!

[DandyDon]

Southwest Aqua Sports, Lubbock Dive Shop Owners Chad & Rachelle Seay Total Truck & Trailer In Wreck - But Are OK!!

At least a lot better than they might have been. Spoke with Chad, my Tech Instructor who owns the upscale all-diving shop today. Seems he and Rachelle had a big OW class of 30 and were headed to Balmorhea and San Solomon Springs State Park at Toyahvale in the wilds of West Texas recently when a vehicle pulled out immediately in front of their rig near Kermit TX. I was not taking notes while we talked, more in shock at how close of a call they'd had, but I think I have the basics right to the story here. They had scant little time to decelerate and hit the other vehicle at close to 70 mi/hr.

Chad said the Deputy who worked the wreck was surprised that anyone survived, but fortunately all did. Rachelle incurred a broken arm I think it was requiring some surgery today; Chad broke a hand; and while the fellow in the struck vehicle may be in the hospital for a couple of months - he is lucky enough to still be with the living. He had been worried about the others of course but friends of Chad & Rachelle visited him recently to assure them that he hadn't killed anyone.

Again, both vehicles and the dive shop trailer were totaled, all rental gear essentially ruined, and I doubt that the compressor fared well - but all was well insured and should be replaced in a couple of weeks. The shop employees some fine folks and while it's not going to be the same for a little while without Rachelle's cheerful :cheering: presence, that seems to be a temporary plan as well.

Chad had heard rumors that they would be closing the store of course, gawd you can hear anything I suppose, but he wanted me to pass the word that there's absolutely no truth to that. Knowing this couple, they'll just upgrade the truck & trailer rig and he'll be back in the water teaching in no time.

Don't want to turn this into a spam thread, but here is their site: Welcome To Southwest Aqua Sports Online!

Some pics of the trailer, Rachelle in shorts, then in suit, Chad in doubles.

 

[ReefHound]

Glad it turned out reasonably well, considering the alternative. Get well soon, guys.

 

[ABQdiver]

Jeez, that was a close call!!

Hope all is resolved soon and they are back diving!

 

[DandyDon]

Jeez, that was a close call!!

Hope all is resolved soon and they are back diving!

The romantic, fun filled life of an Instructor, huh? I think I introduced you to Chad once maybe? I'm sure y'all have been in the same parking lot and water there - but both of you paying close attention to your students. He was totally up when I talked with him. I'll wait a few days before calling Rachelle.

 

[RonFrank]

Not sure if I've met these folks or no, but I am very glad that no one was killed, or even SERIOUSLY injured. That is just Awesome Luck, or some may want to say Divine will!

Hope they are all able to get back into the water quickly, and have their stuff replaced as well.

 

[DandyDon]

Got this from Rachelle today - pretty good for one hand tryping.....

"Hi everyone! I can finally type a little. I am a little slow but I wanted to e-mail everyone and let y’all know that Chad and I are going to be fine. Thank you so much for the e-mails, cards, flowers and phone calls. There were so many I thought I would send one e-mail and say Thank You! Please know that we appreciate all of you guys and I would love to respond to everyone individually but I think that might take me several days and I figured you guys would understand. I was so blessed by all the thoughts and prayers from you our friends. We are truly blessed to know all of you! I know some of you have not heard all the details so I am going to verify the story now. Chad and I were on our way to teach open water and rescue class in Balmorhea on Friday July 25th. We had left Andrews and were on highway 115 about 16 miles outside of Andrews. A man coming from the south pulled off of the dirt road in an attempt to cross the highway to the other side. He said he never saw us. I think most of you know the size of truck and trailer we have and that it is impossible to miss us. I think he just did not look. It happened so fast that I actually had no time to stop and we hit him in the passenger front tire traveling 70 miles per hour! The dive trailer hit the back of the truck buckling the back of the truck and it broke the drive train in half and severed our brake line. The dive trailer then came unhooked and the tongue ripped a hole in the asphalt road and then flipped end over end landing upside down in the bar ditch. Our truck continued traveling through the bar ditch, through the bob wire fence and into the pasture towards an oil well. Chad reached over to turn the wheel and there was no steering and I think that is when he might have broken the bone in his right hand. He was totally conscious and awake through the entire wreck. I remember the sound of the impact and then I was knocked unconscious. When I came to I heard Chad calling my name. I responded and he told me we had to get out of the truck because the motor was smoking. I remember looking around and I noticed that the airbags had deployed and they actually ruptured from the force of our bodies hitting them. I tried to open my door and I realized my left arm was hurt. I managed to use my right arm to open the door and I used the force of my body to push the door open enough to squeeze out backwards. That’s when I noticed that my ring and my watch and my shades had come off of my body and they were in the floorboard. I will never forget seeing the dive trailer upside down and when I looked at the truck the hood was crushed completely down to the firewall. The cab had actually cracked and the front of the truck stuck out about 18 inches further than the back. The only thing that was not touched was the seats that Chad and I were sitting in. There is no doubt in my mind that God saved our lives. I will never forget the look on the sheriff’s face when he realized Chad and I were the ones who were driving the Dodge truck. He kept asking me who was in that vehicle, pointing at our truck, and when he realized it was us his face turned white. He came by the emergency room in Andrews to speak with us after the wreck and he told us we should not have walked away. He was also amazed that the truck did not flip or roll and he made the comment on the shape of the truck compared to the seats we were setting in. I am trying to get pictures of the wreck and I will share them if I do. Please realize that Chad and I feel so blessed to be alive and things are slowly getting back to normal and we are in the process of replacing the truck, trailer and all the gear. The only thing that had to be postponed was Bottomless Lakes and hopefully we can still squeeze it in this year. Everything should be back on track by September. I went to the hospital in Lubbock to see John, the person we hit, on Sunday after the wreck. His left arm was crushed and his pelvis was broken in half. He was not wearing his seat belt. It is also a miracle he lived. He is hurt pretty bad but he will also recover. Please pray for him and his family. I had surgery on my arm Thursday July 30th. They had to put in a plate and screws to repair the break. Chad is in a cast for six weeks and then he should be healed. Both of us will make a full recovery and we should not have any prolonged effects from the accident. Keith passed his instructor exam so he is here to help. YEAH KEITH. We are alive and well. Thanks again everyone and I will be back in the store soon! Your friends, Chad and Rachelle"