WTOC, Savannah, Georgia, news, weather and sports | Florida man stranded in Pooler after interstate accident
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John Arnold
His car was hit by some debris on I-95.By Michelle Paynter - bio | email
POOLER, GA (WTOC) - A south Florida man has been stuck at the Econo Lodge in Pooler for two days, but is now heading home thanks to Republic Waste Management.
John Arnold left Maryland on Sunday and was headed home to Rotonda West, Florida when he hit some debris on I-95 in Chatham County.
"We were driving down the road I had a car on both sides of me and we just see this big piece of metal, that's what it appeared to be and we hit it and as soon as we hit it we had no power, the engine shut off, the steering got hard and we couldn't do anything but coast to the shoulder," said Arnold.
Police said a Republic Waste garbage truck's transmission blew apart sending pieces of metal all over the interstate, damaging Arnold's green mini van and about a dozen other cars.
"We sat on the side of the road for about four hours before we were towed to the hotel and we've been here since about 11 yesterday morning," Arnold said.
Arnold has been holed up in his hotel room with his 11-year-old daughter and his mother. He's been trying to get home to his four other children who are staying with a babysitter. Meanwhile, his wife is deployed to Africa. She's in the Navy.
Arnold said his insurance won't pay to fix his van because someone else was at fault. The van is sitting in a tow company lot nearby.
It's one road trip he'll never forget. "It's very unbelievable yes, and it's just something that never happens again I hope."
Wednesday evening, thanks to Waste Management, Arnold was given a rental car. He and his family are on their way home after a very long two days.
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