Crash scene still haunts first to act
THE sickening sound of bones cracking and tendons splitting still rings out in the mind of Elizabeth (Libby) Adams every time she gets behind the wheel.
The first on the scene of one of the Gold Coast’s most violent fatal road traffic crashes, her split-second decision to pull the driver from a burning car still impacts her life today.
Despite the scars, the pain and the ongoing anxiety caused by her heroic efforts on that day, Ms Adams, the Gold Coast’s only bravery medal recipient at last night’s Australian Bravery Awards, said she does not regret a thing.
It was a Sunday evening like any other, on May 29, 2016 when Ms Adams made her way home from Foodworks.
Approaching the intersection of the Gold Coast Hwy and Thrower Dve at Palm Beach she spotted a speeding car from the rearview mirror.
“The first thing I thought was there must be a police chase, then it came speeding by me,” she said.
However, instead of passing through the intersection cleanly the speeding vehicle disintegrated before her eyes.
“I saw their faces pass to the left of me as they sped by, it was lit up by the dash – it was only a split second by I could play it in my mind again and again,” she said.
The car had struck a pole and split into two unrecognisable balls of crushed metal. Driven by a rescue instinct a few short seconds Ms in Adams was at the door.
“I got out my torch to look in and all I could see was airbags, I had no idea what to expect under there. I also saw a baby seat, bottles and toys thrown across the road. I was calling out to people asking them to look for babies.”
It was later revealed a baby was not in the car at the time of the crash. However, the other passenger of the vehicle passed away at the scene.
Fuelled with adrenaline Ms Adams opened the door of the car, cleared the way and worked to manoeuvre the broken body of the driver from the seat. With fire now coming through the windscreen and footwall, consciously placed herself between the flames and the driver’s feet as she “screwed” the unconscious body out of the twisted metal.
“I still feel sick to my stomach with what I had to do to her to get her free,” she said. “I can still hear the twisting bones and the cracking to work her legs out from underneath the steering wheel. It was the only way to get her free.”
Dressed in only a sleeveless top herself, Ms Adams had glass embedded in her arms.
“It didn’t feel like it in that moment. I remember when she was free I was screaming to move away, the car was going to explode. It blew up just seconds later.”
For months following the incident Ms Adams said she endured the agonising wait to ensure the driver did not suffers any permanent damage from the rescue effort.
“I was so, so worried she would have been a paraplegic. It was sickening. To use my hands to physically maim someone, I don’t think I will ever be at peace with that – even if it did save her life.”
“That time waiting was torture. I felt like my life was on pause.”
Still to this day Ms Adams is recovering from the pain caused by the event, and did want to be photographed for this interview. She was only able to find some closure two years after the crash when the driver faced court for dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death while adversely affected and driving under the influence of liquor.
Ms Adams said the driver thanked her for her actions that night.
“It’s been so hard. I never thought I would smile again, but I caught myself singing for the first time ever the other day,” she said.
“I thought I did what anyone would do, but I have since learnt not everyone would jump into a burning car.
“The bravery awards aren’t about congratulations. A family and lives were torn apart by this event.”
Gold Coast residents Dr Ashok Gangasandra Basavaraj, Vishaak Gangasandra, Richard Staples (pictured) and John Hendrikus Verbeek have all been recognised by the award of the Group Bravery Citation for their work on that evening.