‘It was a traumatic experience.’ Family involved in crash that sent multiple individuals to the hospital provides update

RIRIE — A local family is home recovering after being in a car crash over the Fourth of July weekend.

Curtis and Jana Hamilton and their four children had plans to go to a horse show at the Wind River Arena in Rigby near their home on the day of the crash, which was July 5. They had left a lawn chair at Jana’s brother’s house in Menan so they were going to pick it up then go back to the arena.

RELATED: Three ejected after Cadillac Escalade rolls in Friday crash

“It’s a route we take almost every day,” the Hamilton family said in a statement to EastIdahoNews.com.

Police reports show the crash occurred near the intersection of 300 North and 4400 East (between Rigby and Ririe) when a red Chrysler 300 failed to stop at a stop sign and rammed into the rear driver’s side of the gold Cadillac Escalade driving west on 300 North.

It was previously reported the Cadillac rolled and three occupants were ejected before the vehicle came to a rest in a ditch, but the Hamilton’s said only two were ejected.

“It was a traumatic experience,” the Hamilton’s recalled.

The family said Curtis’s femur came out of his socket and went through his pelvis. He was taken by ambulance to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center and then flown down to the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City where doctors reconstructed his pelvis. He spent time in a rehab center before coming home.

Jana broke her right elbow, and one of their children walked away with a sore on their shoulder and one needed a staple in their head and had bruised knees. Their 10-year-old daughter who was ejected had a minor concussion.

“I know there were angels with us at the time of the wreck,” the Hamilton’s said. “There is no logical way that Ellie was ejected without being hurt at all. I tell her an angel must have picked her up out of the car and said something like ‘we are just going to move you over here so you don’t die.’ She truly is a miracle and I’m sure Tira was protected as well.”

Tira is their six-year-old daughter who was found laying in the middle of the road and unresponsive at first.

“(She) then started to cry and had a bunch of fractures on the right side of her head and a lot of road rash and scrapes but no other broken bones,” the family shared.

She was taken by ambulance to EIRMC then airlifted to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. Tira was in the PICU for one day before being moved to the neuro/trauma center. She “made great progress each day” and was released from the hospital on July 10.

“I asked the neuro doctor if she recovered a lot quicker than he expected and he said if he had made a bet on her numbers of when she would be released, he definitely would have lost his bet,” Jana mentioned. “She truly was super human and it was a miracle how quickly she healed.”

Jana added, “We are doing good and feeling blessed for the quick recovery of both Curtis and Tira. It’s been a lot to handle but we are just trying to take it one day at a time.”

Curtis will need to stay off his right leg for 12 weeks. He is the primary provider for his family. A family-friend shared Jana’s Venmo on social media for people wanting to help the family with the unexpected expenses and “anything else they are in need of at this time.” To donate, click here.

“We are so grateful for all the love and prayers we felt from the community and those that reached out to help,” the Hamilton’s said. “The prayers were definitely felt, and I know that is why Tira is still with us and healing as well as she is.”

The police investigation into the crash is ongoing. Jefferson County Sheriff spokeswoman Jennifer Fullmer said alcohol is suspected to be a factor in the crash, but test results for those involved are not back yet. The driver of the Chrysler 300 has not been identified. No charges have been filed in this case.