KTLA

‘Final Destination’: Man recalls crash that sent men flying into building

A video shows the moment two men in Memphis, Tennessee, were ejected from their car earlier this month, sending one of them flying into a local business, reports KTLA sister station WREG.

Another man, sitting in his car in the parking lot, is now recalling the moment he saw the out-of-control vehicle landing on top of his own.


“It’s actually terrifying to see a car flying in the air and just landing on top of your car, and there’s nothing you can do about it,” said Orlanda Williams, who was making his monthly stop at Smith’s Pools to grab some chemicals for his pool company, Cool Pool Services. He was sitting in his car, in the parking lot, for no more than than three minutes when that ordinary morning turned to tragedy. 

That’s when he looked out the window to see a car barreling toward him.

“‘Final Destination,'” said Williams, likening the sight to something out of a horror film. “The movie ‘Final Destination.’ That’s what was going through my head.”

Williams crawled his way out of the passenger-side door, only to see the crashed car had come to a rest over the driver’s side of his vehicle.

“I was kind of dizzy. I got out of the car, walked around the parking lot about 10 or 15 times, and that’s when I noticed one of the guys on the ground; his body was twisted. And the other guy flew through the window of the business,” he said.

Williams escaped pretty much unharmed, with just a minor bump on his head. He said someone was looking after him that day, and he’s now thankful for every day moving forward. 

“The only thing I can tell you is to live your life every day that you can, one day at a time. Bless those who bless you, and make sure that you’re straight and continue blessing everybody that you can help,” he said.

Meanwhile, Memphis Police say excessive speed and reckless driving are to blame for the crash. Sadly, the passenger did not survive, and the driver is recovering from his injuries at Regional One.