SARASOTA, Fla. (WFTS) – A Florida woman spent days in the hospital after a rollover accident.
Maslin Kurtz is healing now, but she said she will never forget the crash and its cause, which was a huge alligator.
Kurtz said her Toyota 4Runner rolled several times before crashing into a pole.
“I thought I hit something and blew a tire just because it ripped my car off of the road,” Kurtz said.
The 25-year-old hit a nearly 9-foot alligator in the road before sunrise on Easter morning.
The reptile did not survive the crash.
The crash happened in rural Sarasota County on Fruitvale Road near Cowpen Lane.
“I was just praying that somebody would see me, and obviously I saw lights go by, and so I thought I was behind a bush or something. I didn’t know where I had ended up,” Kurtz said.
According to Kurtz, a couple came to her rescue, calling 911. She remembered them helping her out of her SUV after she became trapped.
“I just remember being stuck in my car. I was crushed between the roof and the steering wheel,” Kurtz said. “I’m just kind of stuck there, not sure what happened.”
Kurtz spent four days hospitalized at Sarasota Memorial, including two days in the ICU.
“I have a few fractures on my spine. My sternum is fractured and then my left scapula, so the shoulder blade,” Kurtz said.
Kurtz said she feels fortunate she survived such a traumatic crash.
Her home is now decorated with balloons and cards.
“This is a sweet little gator that the couple who pulled me out of the car actually brought me. They came to visit me a few days after I got out of the hospital, so I thought that was really sweet,” Kurtz said.
Kurtz must wear a brace for up to six weeks followed by physical therapy, but she’s expected to make a full recovery.
“I’m just grateful that I’m here and I give all the glory to God,” Kurtz said.
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