OWATONNA, Minn. (FOX 47) -- An Albert Lea man's life was in jeopardy after he lost control of his vehicle and slid into the rear end of a Snow plow during a snowfall on February 13. But thanks to the two MNDOT workers Dakota "Cody" Lee hit, his life was spared.
Curt Broughten and Tom Johnson were clearing the roads on I-90 just west of Hayward when disaster struck. "I looked in the mirror and I could see flames coming up from the hood," said Broughten.
Curt Broughten was clearing the roads, when suddenly he felt a jolt. "I knew I had been hit," said Broughten.
A Chevy S-10 pickup had rear ended Broughten's plow truck. The pickup slid into the median, and Broughten went into action. "I went to the door to see if I could grab the door to see if I could get him out quick," said Broughten. "But the door was jammed. So I pulled the pin on the fire extinguisher and went around on the passenger side and shot mine up under the hood."
Tom Johnson was following just a half mile behind when he requested State Patrol to the scene. In his line of work, seeing vehicles lose control is not uncommon in harsh weather. And Johnson explain what he thought had happened. "The curve must have forced him out of the wheel path, he started to hydroplane, lost control of the vehicle, and struck the rear right of Curt's vehicle," said Johnson.
Rescue crews had arrived to the scene and transported 20-year-old Lee by ambulance.
"I think that if we didn't get the fire out when we did it could have got pretty ugly," said Broughten.
Broughten explained Lee's airbag didn't go off because the collision had actually broken off the steering wheel. Since being released from the hospital Lee is staying at his parent's home in Albert Lea.
