‘6 inches to the left I would have been dead’: Manhole cover falls through Whitesburg official’s windshield

HAZARD, Ky. (WYMT) - Whitesburg City Councilman Larry Everidge was driving back from Tennessee Black Friday morning when he had a near death experience.

“I don’t know you just imagine riding and everything feeling so peaceful and not much traffic and it just boom and explosion happens and to my right I see my windshield was gone,” said Everidge.

When he drove under a bridge on US 23 near the Tennessee and Virginia line, a manhole cover crashed through his windshield.

“Six inches to the left I would have been dead,” said Everidge.

His first reaction was to keep driving. He said his Army training kicked in and he wanted to get out of the danger zone.

“Police asked, ‘Why didn’t you stop?’ and I said I wasn’t going to stop and take a chance of them throwing something else you know or shooting or whatever.”

Everidge said he did not know what had happened, until he pulled into the nearest gas station, and saw the 40 pound manhole cover in his back seat.

“Two days before that both days we had the little nine month old grand baby sitting right where it landed you know in the car seat. It could have been so much worse,” he said.

His windshield was demolished, the rearview mirror gone, and glass had shattered everywhere but Everidge was not hurt.

“I mean it could have went in my eyes all over, didn’t do anything. I’m serious not even a scratch,” said Everidge.

He said he felt God wanted him around a little bit longer.

“It did get my eyes open to how short life, how quick life can end,” said Everidge.

Police are investigating this incident, but Everidge says they do not know how the cover fell off the bridge, or if someone intentionally dropped it onto his vehicle.

The damages cost more than $1,000.

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