A tragic incident unfolded as a man, who had just purchased flowers for his wife, found himself in a life-threatening situation while heading for a romantic evening. In an unusual turn of events, a driver’s blown tire resulted in a fatal accident that baffled veteran Californian law enforcement officers. Humberto Hernandez’s life was tragically cut short when a fire hydrant was dislodged by the tire blowout, propelling it through fences on an East Bay street.
According to Motorcycle Officer Eddie Bermudez, the devastating aspect of the incident was that had Humberto been slightly to the left or right on the sidewalk, he would have avoided the fatal impact. The officer described the 24-year-old’s death as a “million-to-one chance.”
Humberto, 24, was strolling with his wife on the street in June 2007 after purchasing flowers and cherries for their dinner date at a restaurant. Simultaneously, a Ford Escape driven by a 45-year-old Danville woman experienced a blown tire, veering onto the sidewalk.
The SUV collided with a hydrant, dislodging it and projecting it towards Humberto, grazing the pavement before striking him in the head. Despite its weight, the hydrant had enough momentum to penetrate a fence after hitting Humberto.
One sheriff noted that the water pressure was so intense that the 500-pound fire hydrant behaved like a projectile. Humberto was tragically pronounced dead at the scene, while his wife, who was walking behind him, miraculously escaped unharmed. The couple had recently immigrated to the United States and was residing in a trailer, with no family or financial resources in the country.
The investigator revealed that Humberto’s wife was left with no support network or financial means following the tragic incident.