KLTV 7 News Tyler, Longview, Jacksonville |"Miracle" For East Texas Man And Son To Survive Awning Collapse

"Miracle" For East Texas Man And Son To Survive Awning Collapse

Surveillance cameras capture what could've been a deadly accident, but for people who saw it with their own eyes, it was even more startling.

"The shaking on your feet... it was just like, I've been in an earthquake before and it almost felt like the feeling of an earthquake," said Diana Munoz who works nearby.

"I heard what I thought was a double thunder clap and I didn't think it was about to rain and I looked out, ran across, yelled back to call 911," said Bill Rafferty, who also works across the street.  

And after all this force and weight crashes down, Center Police say Mickey Miller and his son were able to crawl out of the truck, unharmed.

"The driver was uninjured which was a blessing in itself," said Officer Kevin Gratehouse with the Center Police Department.  "Had it been a little further over on top of the truck, it possibly could have crushed the cab down and caught him."

Ironically, police say Miller was going to Texas State Bank to sign paperwork on his new travel-trailer, the same one that clipped the awning when he tried to drive around.

"He was not trying to drive under the awning, he was attempting to go around the awning but caught the awning," said Officer Gratehouse. 

"The whole roof itself just shifted and fell," said Munoz. 

The bank is quickly rebuilding the drive-through. Some say it's looking sturdier than before.

"People were coming as they were constructing and saying 'something's going to happen to that building cause the base wasn't done right," said Munoz.  "It didn't have enough support. They were afraid that even a strong wind could have knocked it over. That's how weak they were saying the base was."

But as police point out, the important thing is that no one was hurt. Plus, for at least a while, it's turned Center into the center of national attention.

"Center is all over the united states now with this accident," said Officer Gratehouse.  "Pretty unique accident."

The bank did not comment and we could not get ahold of the driver. Police say the truck is totaled but the travel-trailer can probably be repaired.

Courtney Lane, Reporting  clane@kltv.com