A GoFundMe page has been set up for an Alpine man after being struck by a truck on the I-8 eastbound on Feb. 17. Jimmy Johnson, 26, was struck when his car broke down. From Lakeside, Johnson now lives in Alpine said his best friend Griffin Rackley, who set up the GoFundMe page. Rackley said Johnson and have been friends since they met each other in second grade. Rackley said Johnson was with his girlfriend and roommate at the time of the accident.
According to a California Highway Patrol release on Feb. 17, at approximately 12:45 a.m., a 66-year-old male from Chula Vista was driving a 2016 International Truck Tractor with a Trox Water Trailer on I-8 eastbound, west of Tavern Road in the No. 3 lane. At the same time, a disabled vehicle, a 2002 Cadillac Eldorado was located on the right shoulder of the I-8 eastbound.
Johnson was standing outside to the left of the Cadillac when the driver of the International Truck Tractor allowed his vehicle to travel to the right, off the roadway, where it struck Johnson and the Cadillac. Authorities said that there was a 19-year-old female sitting in the left front seat, and an additional 26-year-old male outside the vehicle.
Johnson, a nursing student, sustained major injuries and was transported to Sharp Memorial Hospital.
Rackley said Johnson suffered from several breaks in his legs, pelvis, and spine and had a partial amputation of his left leg below the knee.
“He seems to be in good spirits,” said Rackley. “Obviously, he is in a lot of pain from the surgeries, but he is focused on recovery.”
Rackley said Johnson’s healthcare providers are saying if everything goes perfectly, Johnson will be in the hospital for a minimum of four weeks, not including any rehabilitation Johnson will need to fully recover.
“He is a good man, strong in character” said Rackley. “He puts other people before himself. And this has been evident in these things he is going through right now in the hospital. He is still concerned about the condition of his family and friends, which I think is incredibly admirable. He is a fighter, and he is determined to get through this. So, he is very much focused on recovering and getting back to being the provider that he is.”
Rackley said not only the hospital stay in ICU and multiple surgeries are extremely costly, but he is also trying to raise money to help pay for his rent, utilities, and other living expenses while he is recovering. Rackley is attempting to raise $100,000 through GoFundMe.
The California Highway Patrol had no other information on this incident.
To view the GoFundMe, please visit: https://gf.me/v/c/ctss/raising- emergency-medical-and-expense-funds