Pregnant woman survives crash that cut car in half

HIGH SHOALS, N.C. — A pregnant woman who survived a wreck that split her car in two faces several charges Friday, including reckless driving, authorities said.

Lincolnton, N.C., firefighter Mike Shrum came upon the accident Wednesday about 30 miles northwest of Charlotte, N.C., shortly after it happened and thought that Haley Smith, 20, of Lincolnton had died because of the damage to her Honda Accord.

"That's one of the worst wrecks that I've ever responded to," he said.

One part of her car was on U.S. 321 northbound. The other part was on the southbound side.

Smith was heading north toward Lincolnton when her car ran off the right side of the road between Hardin and High Shoals, N.C. She heard the rumble strips, overcorrected and crossed the median, authorities said.

The Honda flipped, an SUV in the southbound lanes struck it and the car's body severed just behind the driver's seat, investigators from the North Carolina State Highway Patrol told the Lincoln Herald. She may have been traveling at more than 100 mph, and troopers consider the wreck her fault.

"Her car is broken in half. I've never seen damage like this," an unidentified caller told emergency dispatchers.

Smith was unconscious but was found buckled in her seat alive and transported to a nearby hospital. She is already out with a few cuts, bumps and bruises.

Shrum didn't know that Smith was pregnant until he stepped on a positive pregnancy test among the debris in the crash. He later learned from Smith's sister that both Smith and her unborn child are OK.

She was charged with reckless driving, possession of drug paraphernalia and having unsafe tires.

"Everybody says God watches out for everybody," Shrum said. "But sometimes in wrecks like that, it's pretty obvious some people are just lucky."