The Detroit News
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2007
On-duty Detroit firefighter, SUV driver killed in crash
¡Police say vehicle, fire engine collide in New Center area; six others injured.
By JOE MENARD, VALERIE OLANDER and ORALANDAR BRAND-WILLIAMS The Detroit News
DETROIT-A sport utility vehicle and a fire engine collided Wednesday evening on the city’s west side, killing a veteran firefighter and the driver of the SUV.
Detroit Police and a witness said the black Chevy Tahoe was going south on 14th Street in the New Center area when it hit the fire engine traveling west on West Grand Boulevard about 5:45 p.m.
Killed were firefighter Joe Torkos, 47, and an unidentified male driver of the SUV.
“A black Tahoe flew past me,” said Detroit resident Martino Williams, 19, who said he was walking to a bus stop at the intersection when the accident occurred “The black truck ran the yellow light. They were just flying.”
The impact sent Torkos of Livonia through the windshield of the fire engine, which then rolled over his body, police said. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Henry ford Hospital.
“Tonight we suffered a horrendous loss of one of our members. One of our men is dead,” said Don June, treasurer of the Detroit Fire Fighters Association, Local 344.
Another firefighter, Lt. Walt Grysko, was in stable condition at Henry Ford. Two others, Edward Davis and Antonio Hartman, were taken to Henry Ford for observation.
Fire officials at the hospital declined comment.
An adult male passenger also was injured and was in critical condition at Henry Ford, police said. Two children, ages 10 and 11, were in the back seat of the Tahoe and were taken to Children’s Hospital in stable condition.
“We feel sorry for the family of the civilian that was killed at the scene,” June said.
Police believe speed was a factor in the crash; the fire engine had its lights and siren on.
Veronica Billets, who lives next door to the Torkoses, said he has a young daughter and his wife is pregnant.
“Oh, my god,”said Billets, 85, who appeared shaken by the news. “I feel terrible.”
Grysko’s son, Walter Grysko III, said he got the news that his dad was in the crash when an official from the Detroit Police Department called him.
“I was just worried that he wasn’t going to make it,” said Grysko, 17.
“I prayed it wasn’t him,” said the teen, fighting back tears.
The teen said his father was responsive and was talking at the hospital.
“he told my mom that we weren’t getting out of school for this (the accident),” he said. “I’m happy he still has his sense of humor.”
底特律新聞
2007年2月8日星期四
執勤中的底特律消防隊員及SUV駕駛車禍喪生
¡警方表示汽車及消防車於New Center地區相撞；有其他六個人受傷
By JOE MENARD, VALERIE OLANDER and ORALANDAR BRAND-WILLIAMS The Detroit News
底特律---- 一輛運動型多功能車(SUV)與一輛消防車於周三傍晚在市區西邊相撞, 一位資深消防隊員及SUV駕駛喪生。
底特律警方與一位目擊者表示，大約在下午的5點45分，一輛開在New Center區第14街上，往南前進黑色的Chevy Tahoe(SUV的廠牌)撞上了開在West Grand 大道上的消防車。
罹難者是47歲的消防隊員，Joe Torkos, 及駕駛SUV的不知名男性。
19歲的底特律居民Martino Williams說: “一輛黑色的Tahoe從我面前飛馳而過,” , 案發當時他正走向十字路口旁的公車站牌。“那輛黑色的SUV闖黃燈，兩台車子咻一下飛馳而過!”
警方表示:車禍的衝擊讓住在Livonia的Torkos撞破了消防車的擋風玻璃，飛出車外，而後被翻覆的消防車壓死。他在抵達亨利福特醫院前就已經被宣告死亡了。
身為底特律消防隊員工會第344分會財務主管的Don June說: “今晚大家遭受可怕的損失，我們的一員喪生了,” 另一位在亨利福特醫院的消防隊員，Lt. Walt Grysko，則是情況穩定。其餘兩人，Edward Davis及Antonio Hartman則被帶往亨利福特醫院觀察。
在醫院裡的消防當局長官拒絕發表意見。
警方表示:在亨利福特醫院裡有一位成年的男姓路人也在此車禍中受傷並且情況危急。 坐在Tahoe車中後座的兩名孩童，分別為10歲及11歲，則被帶往兒童醫院，目前情況穩定。
June 說: “我們對這此在車禍現場中喪生的百姓的家屬感到抱歉。”
警方相信超速是這場車禍的主因；消防車的警示燈及警報器都是開著的。
住在Torkos一家人隔壁的Veronica Billets說Torkos有一個小女兒，而且他的妻子目前懷孕。
在新聞中看起來直發抖現年85歲的Billet說: “Oh, 我的天啊,我感覺糟透了。”
Grysko的兒子, Walter Grysko III說他看到新聞說他父親也在車禍現場時，正好一位底特律警局的官員打電話來通知他。
17歲的Grysko 說: “我只擔心他沒辦法撐過去。”.這個青少年強忍著淚水說:“我一直祈禱出事的不是他。”
他說他的父親對談話有回應而且在醫院時有說話。Walter說: ”他告訴我媽媽，我們不可以因為這件事（這個意外）從學校離開，我很高興他還保有他的幽默感。”
※ 親愛的同學，
讀過上面的報導後，你在字裡行間看出什麼端倪、玄機了嗎？