BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – A South Florida road ranger spoke to Local 10 News on Wednesday, a day after he was struck by a car while parked on the side of Interstate 95 in Broward County.
"It's something that I've never felt before," Zucchero Cole, 23, said.
The road ranger had parked on the side of the highway to help other drivers involved in an accident near the Cypress Creek exit when the crash occurred.
"I went back into the car and before I could notice, I heard tire marks and the driver ran right into the back of my car," Cole said.
Cole said he was sitting in the driver's seat calling the accident in when his road ranger truck was hit.
"It's like a train came in and just hit you, and you don't know what happened. You see smoke, you hear people calling for you, 'Are you OK? Are you OK?' But you can't really do (anything) because you're in shock," he said.
The impact set off the airbag, giving Cole a strong jolt.
"It's a lot of back pain. My head up here hurts," Cole said.
Cole expressed gratitude toward a woman from the initial accident who he said kept him calm as he was waiting to be taken to the hospital.
"If it wasn't for you, I don't know how would I cope," he said.
The driver who struck Cole's truck was identified as Robert Ortiz, 37, of West Palm Beach.
Authorities said Ortiz suffered minor injuries in the crash.
It's unclear whether he will be cited or face charges.