911 emergency calls are providing a look inside the frantic scene after a giant sinkhole swallowed a car in Kane County after Monday night's storms.
The Ford Taurus fell into the 10-foot wide sinkhole at about 3:50 a.m. Tuesday at Thomas and McDonald roads. It was completely below ground level when it landed, trapping Juanita Pineda, 41, and her son, Benjamin Hernandez, 15, both of Elgin.
On the tapes, Pineda pleads for help alternately in Spanish and English and tells the operator that her son is having problems breathing. He was trapped in the back seat where he was prepping newspapers for delivery.
Hernandez: I can't move my head mom.
Pineda: Don't move, don't move. They're coming papi, hold on.
The trapped passengers' panic turned to frustration.
911 Dispatcher: I'm talking to the hospital, so you won't hear me for just a minute, OK?
Pineda: Oh come on man, we've been on the phone for 7 minutes!
911 Dispatcher: OK ma'am? I have help on the way.
Just when things couldn't possibly get any worse, a Chevy pickup runs over their car.
Pineda: Oh my God, no! Another car!
The driver came back to the scene after realizing what he did.
Pineda: Are you the officer?
Driver: No, no. Did I just go over the top of you?
Pineda: Yes, you went on top of me.
Driver: Oh my God, oh my God! Are you OK?
Pineda: My son, I need help, my son, please.
First responders arrived about 2 minutes later.
Pineda suffered bad bruises in the accident but is out of the hospital. Her son suffered a fractured spine, a broken nose, jaw and ribs, but his mother says he's recovering.
Kane County Sheriff’s deputies noted this is a rural area with no street lights. The section of road became completely washed out, police said, likely because of heavy storms that poured as much as three inches of rain on the area.
Thomas Road between Middleton and McDonald roads will be closed indefinitely because of damage to the roadway.
Below photos courtesy Radioman911.com:
