Thankful to be Alive

Clarissa Sainvilien woke up bruised and feeling stiff and achy this morning but is not complaining – she’s happy to be alive after her SUV flipped over twice on Wyoming Avenue during an accident on her way home from church Sunday.

“I’m very blessed to be here,” she said. “It was scary. It’s only by the grace of God I’m here.”

South Orange police, fire and rescue squad officials worked the scene on Sunday around 11 a.m., cutting away at her overturned Nissan Pathfinder to free Sainvilien, who was taken to the hospital for minor injuries.

According to the police report, the accident occurred when Sainvilien’s taupe-colored SUV was broadsided by a maroon Dodge Caravan that had pulled out of the stop sign on Tillou Road and onto Wyoming.

The driver of the Grand Caravan was Joan Simari of South Orange, whose 13 and 11 year old children were with her. They were not injured. Simari could not be reached for comment.

Sainvilien, 29, who lives in West Orange and is two months pregnant, was returning home from Our Lady of Sorrows Church when the accident occurred, she said. She didn’t see what happened, she said, she just felt the impact and her car flipping. Then she heard the driver of the other car screaming for help, she said.

“There was a man who was very kind to me -- I didn’t even see his face or get his name, but he held my hand and was coaxing me while I was dangling upside down until they could cut me out of the car,” she said. “I would like to thank him but I don’t know who he is. But he knows who he is. I hope he’ll see this.”

The hand that held hers belonged to Lt. Dan Cohen with the South Orange Rescue Squad, who climbed in the car and comforted her until she coould be removed.

Residents near Wyoming and Tillou who were home Sunday morning heard the crash and came outside.

“I heard that unmistakable sound of metal hitting metal,” said Betsy Stoeber, who lives on the corner. “It was a loud smack. I looked out my window and it took a moment to register what I was seeing – there’s a car upside down.

“I don’t think either of them saw the other coming,” she said. “There was no sound of brakes squealing. It was a very scary sight; the car’s hatch had opened and a baby carriage had fallen out and we were worried there might have been a baby in the car as well.”

Doctors are still monitoring Sainvilien because of her pregnancy, she said, but it appears that everything is all right.

“They said if I was going to be in an accident this is the best time of the pregnancy for that,” she said. “I’m just happy my (15-month-old) daughter wasn’t with me.”