It all started around 4 p.m. Monday afternoon, when a psychiatric patient escaped from Kendall Regional Medical Center, crossed Bird Road, and ran into an open field as an off-duty officer and hospital staff gave chase.
Miami-Dade Police say the man, in his 20s, then made his way onto the onramp, where he was hit by a truck.
Investigators say the truck stopped short, which in turn, caused damage to a Hyundai SUV driving directly behind it.
On Tuesday, NBC 6 spoke to a man who says his wife was driving that Hyundai.
Get South Florida local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters.
He recalled receiving the frightening phone call.
"Somebody calls you and says, 'hey, listen, your wife is almost dead, but she’s alive,'" said the man, who asked to remain anonymous.
Something slid off of the back of the truck and crashed into his wife’s windshield.
Local
“She got very scared, she was coming from work,” he said. “Her front window exploded, and imagine you’re driving on the Turnpike with your front window exploding.”
His wife went to the hospital Tuesday for injuries to her shoulders, back and lower body, and underwent a brain scan, he said.
“We spent the day in the hospital with doctors. She was shaking, she was cold,” he said.
He said his focus is now on his wife’s recovery.
“I asked the police officer, 'How many times does a patient escape from a psychiatrist and try to run on the Turnpike?'" the man said. “... He said, ‘Since I know of, never.'"
At last word, Miami-Dade Police said the escaped patient was expected to survive from his injuries sustained from being hit by the truck.
