Lucky M6 crash victim 'thought he'd die' after being hit by Shropshire lorry driver
An RAC man has told how he thought he would die after a lorry ploughed into him on the M6.
Mark Wootton was working in an emergency refuge area on the motorway when the low-loader careered into him before driving off on April 28 last year. The 39-year-old was found "screaming in agony" by another driver and was rushed to hospital where X-rays revealed that he had suffered two fractured vertebrae.
He has now spoken of the impact the injuries have had on his life.
"I've given up golf. I used to come home and do stuff helping my wife with her business, but now I'm restricted," he said.
"Just going to the park with the kids to play football – it is hard for me to do anything strenuous for fear of doing myself an injury again. These years are the most precious with my kids. It's taken a toll."
CCTV footage released by West Midlands Police shows the moment lorry driver Terence Poolman, 69, of Shifnal, lost control and smashed into the unsuspecting RAC worker between junctions six, for Gravelly Hill, and seven, for Great Barr, of the M6.
The 24-second video shows the yellow low-loader suddenly swerving from the inside lane to the hard shoulder before crushing Mr Wootton against the broken down car.
Another lorry driver saw Mr Wootton in pain at the side of the northbound carriageway and dialled 999.
Motorway CCTV cameras failed to pick up the low-loader's number plate, but police managed to track it down thanks to a catering van seen travelling behind. Incredibly, the driver had been so shocked he jotted down the registration plate and police were able to trace it to Poolman.
Poolman was interviewed, but claimed to have no memory of the collision.
He pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and was jailed for eight months and banned from driving for two years at Birmingham Crown Court.
Mr Wootton, of Solihull, said he heard an explosion 'like an airbag going off' when he was strapping a car's wheels to a trailer.
He added: "I felt phenomenal pain and knew something was wrong. He added: "Effectively, he could have left me for dead. I still think I'm very lucky. I didn't see the CCTV footage until Monday.
"It shocked me, how close it actually was. Another foot closer and it could've been over."
