Louisiana Woman Miraculously Survives After Loose Tire Hits Car in Freak Highway Accident

After a freak accident that still has her shaken up, Samantha Abshire is counting her lucky stars.

On the evening of March 7th, Abshire, a mother and a dance teacher from South Louisiana, faced a life-threatening situation that she describes as the most frightening experience of her life. While driving home around 6:30 PM on Hwy 90 in New Iberia, near the Avery Island overpass, a loose tire from a semi-truck collided head-on with her vehicle in a construction zone. This terrifying incident left her vehicle in shambles and Abshire grateful to be alive, especially since her 5-month-old daughter and husband were not in the car with her.

Abshire looks back on the harrowing experience, stating she had five seconds or less to react after spotting the tire flying towards her. Trapped by construction barricades on both sides, she had no escape route and braced for impact by slamming on the brakes. The force of the collision was so intense that it shattered the sunroof and windshield, leaving Abshire covered in glass and with shoulder injuries and headaches that haven't stopped since the wheel slammed into her vehicle.

Despite the severity of the incident, Abshire feels fortunate to have survived, attributing her safety to "guardian angels." The accident has left her with continuous headaches, arm and shoulder pain, and a newfound anxiety about driving, particularly with her young daughter.

The quest to find the person responsible for the accident has been quite challenging. Local authorities and Abshire herself have appealed to the public for any information or eyewitness accounts, emphasizing the difficulty of tracing the semi-truck involved due to the lack of direct witnesses and the chaos following the accident.

In a detailed Q&A, Abshire sat down with me to share more insight into the moments leading up to and following the accident:

Reaction Time and Truck Description

Abshire says she had about five seconds to react after seeing the tire. The only detail she remembers is a big white 18-wheeler or semi-truck in the opposing lane.

Awareness of the Incident

Abshire is uncertain if the truck driver is aware of the incident, given the lack of immediate response or outreach from them.

Post-Accident Help

No one stopped to assist her immediately after the accident. She managed to pull over after exiting the construction zone, despite being in shock and covered in glass.

Interaction with Authorities

Upon contacting the police, they arrived on the scene but had little optimism about locating the responsible party, describing it as "a needle in a haystack."

Vehicle Damage

The vehicle suffered extensive damage, rendering it undrivable. The interior was filled with glass, and significant structural damage was evident.

Recovery of the Tire

Witnesses reported seeing the tire near the time of the accident, but it was not recovered. Efforts to locate it the following day were unsuccessful.

Injuries and Recovery

Abshire reported a continuous headache, shoulder, and arm pain, and expressed nervousness about driving again, especially with her daughter.

Potential Preventive Measures

Reflecting on the accident, Abshire believes the construction zone's narrow lanes and lack of a median significantly contributed to the unavoidable nature of the accident.

Abshire and her family continue their plea for anyone with information or surveillance footage from the area to come forward. They urge anyone who can help to contact the New Iberia Sheriffs Department at (337) 369-2306 or reach out to Samantha Abshire directly at samanthaabshire1@gmail.com.

The smallest amount of support or information is appreciated as Samantha and her loved ones search for answers and hope that such a frightening event can be prevented in the future.