Cover Sheet Haley Cavazos Cavazos.

HSTORY6 November 21, 2013 Budget Line: Brittain Marshall accidentally struck and killed a woman walking across a Texas highway. Sources: - Brittain Marshall - Phone: 469-352-3478 - Email: marshallbrittain@yahoo.com - Dates in contact: day interview 11/16 and 11/17; phone follow up questions 11/19 and 11/20 - He described his story, personal and familys reactions - Ansley Pace - Brittains cousin - Phone: 214-385-1155 - Email: ansleydanae94@gmail.com - Dates in contact: interview 11/16 - I asked for her reactions to her cousins accident - Lisa Pace - Brittains aunt - Phone: 214-676-8349 - Email: lisa@lisapace.com - Dates in contact: interview 11/16 - I asked for her reaction to her nephews accident - Jake Nelson: - Brittains friend - Phone: 409-781-3859 - Email: jakekimball@gmail.com - Dates in contact: 11/16 - I asked what he did to help Brittain through his tough situation - Invisible sources/web sites used: - Pedestrian killed on Highway 69 in Lumberton - URL:http://www.12newsnow.com/story/21203839/woman-hit-and-killed-onhighway-69-in-lumberton - Dates accessed: 11/19 - Pictures of the scene from local news station - Google Maps - Aerial view of highway of accident - Dates accessed: 11/18

Shortly after 10 on the night of Valentines Day, he pulled over on the shoulder of Highway 69. With shaking fingers, hands, and thoughts, he had trouble dialing his dads phone number, Dad, I-I-I just hit a woman. She lay in the middle of the highway. Her arms and legs sprawled out like a doll. Her left side of her body was caved in like no bones were even there. Everything was shattered. Her disheveled brunette hair hid her appearance. Blood surrounded her broken body and painted the right side of her porcelain face. Her red high heels landed 150 feet away - the only color in her attire.

The womans red shoe lay in the middle of Highway 69 - 12 News Feb 15,2013

I still see the image in my head. Like a huge rag doll, Brittain Marshall said as he remembered his life changing experience. He was only 19 years old at the time. On the cold, dry, windy February night, Brittain watched the woman fly over the windshield of his white Dodge truck and spin 20 feet into the air like a helicopter. Seconds turned into minutes and minutes turned into hours as he froze in complete shock. It really

happened in a blink of an eye. When they say stuff really happens in a blink of an eye, it happens. Brittain slowly pulled over about 400 feet away from the body. I knew she was dead whenever I looked into my rear view mirror.

Brittain stopped about 400 feet away from the womans body - Google Maps Feb 2013

Although there were other cars on the road, only four vehicles stopped to offer help. Two of those vehicles were Brittains friends. A little black car full of four girls from his high school pulled over in shock and only one nervously dialed 911. Brittains close friend Tim and his girlfriend stopped to comfort him. As Tims girlfriend rushed over to the broken woman, she flipped her over to check her pulse and see if she was breathing.

I couldnt get anywhere near that body. The woman flipped over and moved like Jello. I looked one time and never looked again. If the woman would have hit the little black car, she could have possibly injured those four girls. If she would have hit Tims Ford Ranger, she could have possibly ended up in his girlfriends lap.

Brittains truck was parked on the shoulder, running the whole thr ee-hour investigation 12 News Feb 15, 2013

Grabbing his head, his knees buckled with panic as he squatted down not knowing what was going to happen next. Disconnected thoughts swarmed through his fazed mind as he anxiously waited for his family and the police to arrive. Jail time and the possibility of the womans family seeking unknown answers worried Brittain. He said it felt like the universe around him was moving quicker than the speed of light while he remained frozen in shock. He was surprised that his own body did not shut down.

After a short pause Brittain looked down into his lap and let out a soft giggle, realizing he was wearing the same exact outfit from that cold February night. He continued, I didnt think I was going to be able to cope through the fact that something like that happened to me. ------As his father and granddad arrived about 10 minutes later, they parked the car behind a police officer, trying to block the view of the reporters on scene. Brittain ran full speed to his dad, not caring who else was there. Tears streamed down his troubled face. His dad embraced him with a tight, reassuring hug Brittain said. An officer soon came up from behind and gently rubbed the top of his back between his shoulder blades. This cops name is Officer Wilson. I will never forget this man. He helped me so much in time of need and will always have my respect. Brittain said that Officer Wilson was the most caring out of all the other officers. He made it a point to tell Brittain that the accident was not his fault, relieving some unwanted stress.

Brittain explaining to the Lumberton Police Department what had happened 12 News Feb 15, 2013

The woman did not have an identity. She instantly became unrecognizable and her little black purse did not hold her ID. Brittain said he remembered a single officer using a hand held flashlight looking for any sign to help identify the woman. The fact that no identification was found, Brittain said he was bothered because her family would not know what had happened to her. He was not even thinking of himself. ------News broke out like a wildfire within Brittains family. Phone calls bombarded his dads phone, which added stress to the situation. Brittains aunt five hours away ran into her daughters room yelling, Brittain just hit a woman and killed her! As a result Ansley, Brittains cousin, said she had a panic attack and instantly thought that he was going to jail. Besides the unnecessary stress, his family and friends also helped Brittain by comforting him through his tough emotional breakdown. Jake Nelson, one of Brittains best friends, was one of the last people to know the news. He was immediately ready to drive from College Station to console his friend. His father did not let him because it was a long drive. Jake said he felt like he could not do anything to help and broke into tears. I had people who loved me and I knew they will always be with me through anything. -----Two weeks after the accident, Brittains dad received a phone call from the Chief of the Lumberton Police Department. The toxicology report was released to both Brittains and the womans family.

The woman was three times over the legal limit of alcohol and had significant amount of cocaine, heroin and marijuana in her system. Since the woman was wearing dark clothing and walked out into the middle of the highway on her own, Brittain was not at fault. I had a sense of relief because I realized that when she died she didnt feel a thing. ---It took Brittain more than a month to drive past what was once a chaotic night. Even though he anticipated what he was going to see, Brittain said he was so unprepared that he could barely describe the feeling. He found it hard to get into his car and drive anywhere. He said it was too early to relive that moment. Since the accident, Brittain said he drove past that spot at least 20 times to get to his dads house. Every time I drive by, I look at that one spot.

The painted circle where the woman landed on Highway 69 Google Maps Feb 2013

The number one piece of advice that helps Brittain the most during his healing process is never bottle in emotions. His grandmother told him to not hold it all in because it will always build into something worse. When Brittain is weighed down by the thoughts of that February night, he finds someone close to him and releases some of the strain. Depending on the day, his tension and thoughts come with ease. After watching the paramedics pick up the broken body from the road, Brittain said he could not let anyone live through same situations alone. He soon realized that becoming a paramedic himself was his calling. Thinking about helping people cope through pain, stress, and emotional breakdowns, Brittain said he looks forward to the many years of assisting people in need.

Brittain and his white Dodge truck Nov 16, 2013 Haley Cavazos

It took me a week or two to fully realize that God gave me this burden on my shoulders because He knew that I was the one who could handle it.