SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A Palm Springs couple is calling for accountability after they were left suffering physical and mental injuries when an alleged street racer hit their car.
Charles Rosenberg and Liam Goff said the crash happened along the Capital City Freeway Saturday when the alleged street racer was going around 100 miles per hour and clipped their rental car.
"I can’t get the sound of him screaming out of my head,” Rosenberg said, recalling the crash.
Their car went through a fence, flipping multiple times as all the airbags triggered and deployed.
“We couldn’t see anything it just became a white coffin," Rosenberg said.
They landed upside-down with their doors jammed against the concrete along Auburn Boulevard near Howe Avenue.
"We were saved by some angel of a passerby who broke our window open with a metal water bottle,” Goff said.
Photos: Couple says alleged street racer clipped their rental car
The couple said they were left with multiple lacerations and severe bruising. However, they said their mental anguish was made worse by the emergency response.
"They were then telling him (Goff) to Uber to the hospital and to find his own way to the hospital. We were in the same car accident," Rosenberg said.
"It took them almost 20 minutes to get to us," he added. "It was accusatory the whole time. The hospital... they left me in a room screaming several times by myself."
The couple, who were fundraising for the LGBT Center at the California State Fair, said their livelihoods are impacted due to the fear of getting behind the wheel. They’re hoping the driver can be held accountable and that people who experience similar traumatic events can get better care.
The area where the crash happened saw a similar, but unrelated, incident early Monday morning. The California Highway Patrol said a driver along Business Interstate 80 crashed, rolled into the fencing and landed in the middle of Connie Drive near Marconi Avenue. One person died while two were injured. The crash is under investigation.
ABC10 reached out to the California Highway Patrol about Goff and Rosenberg's crash, but the inquiry was not immediately returned. A Dignity Health spokesperson provided the following statement to ABC10 regarding Rosenberg and Goff's comments.
“The care and safety of our patients is always our top priority, and we take this matter very seriously. As we were made aware of these patient experiences this evening for the first time, we are now in the process of conducting a thorough investigation of the matter. As we work to learn more, please know that we are committed to providing an equitable, safe and compassionate environment for all who seek care at our facility.”
READ ALSO:
WATCH ALSO:
