December 4, 2016
John Ashborn, The Daily Gazette

Schenectady, NY – Police received a call at 2:00 p.m. yesterday that a man had driven his vehicle into a gasoline pump. Emergency vehicles were immediately dispatched to prevent fire or explosion. Fortunately, a major catastrophe was avoided when the attendant on duty immediately ran to operate the gas shutoff mechanism.

The driver apparently fell unconscious while traveling on a busy thoroughfare. His car came to an abrupt, unexpected stop and was struck from behind, causing the car to careen off the road, over a curb, against a utility pole, and into a gasoline pump. The force of the impact was enough to nearly topple the pump. Fortunately, the gas lines were not severed and the forward motion of the vehicle was stopped.

The driver was taken to a nearby hospital for observation. No one else was injured in the accident.

A witness reported observing the accident. “I was driving alongside of him when, all of a sudden, he swerved a bit into my lane. I looked over and noticed that he was slumped over the steering wheel, completely limp. Then his car came to an immediate halt. It was struck from the rear by the car following him and then he ran into the gas pump. It was a miracle that nobody was standing outside of their car pumping gas at the time. (I was) terrified for the man. I had a sinking feeling when I realized he was moving along at full speed without anyone steering. I was terrified he was going to kill someone on the side of the road. My heart was still pounding an hour after the accident.”

A blood alcohol content test revealed no alcohol in his system at the time. Further testing at the hospital removed all suspicion of drug use. The driver was released from the hospital later the same evening but will be following up with doctors to determine the reason he lost consciousness.

Traffic was halted on South Park Avenue for several hours while the accident scene was secured. The convenience store closed operation for the remainder of the day.

Officials released the name of the driver after his immediate family was notified: Paul Walker, owner of the Lupin Cliff Hangers, a team in the Japanese League of the Rising Sun baseball league.

Walker agreed to an interview following release from the hospital. “I really don’t know what happened. The last thing I remember, I was enjoying a Pink Floyd song on the radio as I was driving along. The next thing I know, I hear screams and sirens and strangers opening my car door and pulling me out. I didn’t even realize that I had run into the gas pump until they dragged me about twenty feet away and let me lie down. I am really relieved that no one was injured.

“I was fine. I felt a little beat up, but nothing too serious. They took me to the hospital just to make sure I hadn’t bumped my head or anything in the accident. They were also worried that I might have had a stroke or heart attack or epileptic seizure that caused me to lose consciousness, but testing didn’t reveal evidence of any of those problems. I had been struck by lightning a couple years ago and the doctors fear this may be a delayed result of injuries I sustained at that time. I am going to work with a specialist who has familiarity with the long-term effects of lightning strikes. It is a big concern for me because it was only luck that prevented me or someone else from getting killed. I am not even sure if it is safe for me to drive again until we figure out what is going on. Life is strange sometimes.

“I had wrapped up my duties in Japan with the baseball team and had a weekend free before the upcoming Winter Meetings. I came to New York to catch a Broadway show. I had never been to one before and thought a man in my position ought to have a little bit of exposure to the classier things in life. Everything seemed to be fine one second. The next, I narrowly escaped death. Sometimes life deals us some unexpected curves. I’m disappointed that I missed the show, but I am excited that I’ve been cleared to return to perform my duties during the Winter Meetings.”