Pictures of Uriel Lopez's mangled truck show how date night nearly turned deadly Saturday evening for him and his girlfriend, Dominque Hernandez.
“It was like violent off-roading, not fun. Pretty terrifying," said Lopez.
The two were headed to the movies in Poway, when his Ford F-350, fishtailed into oncoming traffic on rain-slick, Highway 67 near Poway Road, then flipped over into a ditch.
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Hernandez said she freaked out because she was facing oncoming traffic. Lopez worried about her and others.
"It’s a much larger vehicle than most and I was worried about hurting someone else as well. The last thing I remember is looking at my girlfriend and realizing it's probably it for both of us."
Hernandez and Lopez, who is the CEO of Blackbeard Marine Services, both walked away from the crash.
Though Hernandez says her back hurts the most, she and Lopez took pictures soon after, showing the near-death experience they survived.
With a second chance at life, they're now hoping to thank two Good Samaritans whose voices they say sounded like a clarion call after that violent crash.
“I heard that couple, that’s who we’re trying to find to say thank you to them," said Hernandez.
When Lopez’s truck finally came to a rest after tumbling down the hill, Hernandez was left suspended midair in her seat belt.
Lopez said his old coast guard training kicked in to help free her before any other dangers sparked.
"My concern is we ripped the fuel tank open or something here. We survived the crash itself just to have the fuel ignite or something," Lopez said.
The truck didn’t go up in flames, but the couple said the man who helped pull Hernandez from the passenger seat didn't know that, yet took the risk anyway.
And the woman he was with helped flag down CHP and showed them kindness.
"She asked me where were you guys going, and I said to the movies, and she said you look really nice. And I'm like thank you and I’m all muddy. But she was just trying to make sure I was okay. That in itself was enough. Being a real person is all I needed. For me the kindness of strangers is the biggest thing that will get any of us through mostly any day,” Hernandez said.
It's an act of kindness the couple is hoping to repay with dinner, a beer or a simple thanks.
