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‘I look behind and I see the semi’: Driver says her electric car stalled on Louisville bridge moments before collision

"You start to realize how many people could've died as a result of this faulty car," Glenna Hess said.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — She's the driver whose car stalled on the Clark Memorial Bridge Friday, moments before a multi-car collision sent a Sysco semi over the edge.

"Emotionally, I'm not well," Glenna Hess said. "Physically, I'm fine."

The Louisville resident said she was driving an electric car she'd bought the day before at a local Carvana. She said, almost immediately, it was showing signs of problems.

"I’ve driven electric cars for 10 years. I was noticing there was fluctuation in the electrical system. The power would be at 90% then to 80. As I was coming back from Jeffersonville, it said I had a 24-mile range, which was fine," Hess said. "I just wanted to get across the bridge and call AAA. I was going to take it back to Carvana."

Hess didn't make it off the bridge.

"The motor just came to a dead stop on the 2nd Street Bridge," she said.

"I had blinkers on, called AAA, who alerted police. Everyone was fine. They saw the blinkers until of course, somebody didn't," Hess said. "And then that set off the string of events that led to everything that happened on Friday at 12 o'clock."

Credit: WHAS11 News
First responders block the Second Street Bridge after a semi-truck crashed and was left hanging over the edge. | March 1, 2024

She said everything happened so fast. 

"I saw a blue pickup truck with a badly injured person in front of me and I look behind and I see the semi," Hess said. "You see this woman is hanging out, I mean, you can see her and you're thinking, it's a wonder she's not dead."

She said a man came to her window to check on her before running toward the pickup. She walked away with a bump on her head.

"Some sweet lady came out and checked on me," Hess said. "An officer asked if she had a warm car to sit in and she said, yes."

Together, they watched as a Louisville firefighter pulled the semi driver from the cab of the truck dangling 100 feet over the Ohio River.

"I can't imagine the trauma she's feeling," Hess said. "She's a hero, how she maneuvered the whole situation."

She said the direction the semi driver took to avoid more collisions likely saved lives and gave credit to everyone on the bridge for saving hers.

"Every first responder involved, they did their job so well."

WHAS11 News followed Hess and her husband over to Carvana off Hurstbourne Parkway Wednesday, to get a comment regarding their concerns about the electric car. Staff referred us to corporate headquarters, which referred us back to the local dealer. Employees on site told Hess, despite being within the 7 day-return window, they will not take the car back since it's damaged.

On Thursday, WHAS11 News made contact with Carvana's corporate office. A spokesperson said they are aware of the situation, but could not provide a statement since the investigation is ongoing.

At least one person was critically injured in that Friday crash and remains in the hospital at last check. We'll continue to keep you updated on their recovery.

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