Grandview driver ‘leaned too far’

Car crash: A case of spit and demolish

By CHRISTINE VENDEL The Kansas City Star

Accidents happen. But usually not like this.

A woman tumbled out of her fast-moving car on a Kansas City interstate Friday morning after she opened her door — to spit.

Robbin Doolin, 31, of Grandview suffered serious injuries in the 8 a.m. accident in the Triangle. She was recovering at a hospital Friday night, where she declined to comment.

Police said the accident was one of the most unusual they had seen.

“It’s certainly not prudent to open your car door on a highway, especially when you’re not wearing a seat belt,” said Capt. Rich Lockhart, a Police Department spokesman.

Driving her purple Chevrolet Malibu north on U.S. 71, Doolin was approaching the eastbound Interstate 470 ramp when she opened her door, police said.

“I leaned out to spit and I leaned too far,” she later told an officer.

Another motorist looking in her rearview mirror saw Doolin’s car hit a guardrail and saw Doolin tumbling across the pavement.

Doolin then hopped up — to the amazement of witnesses — and chased her car, which careened down an embankment toward a construction site. The car was moving too fast. Doolin could not catch up.

An ambulance took her to a hospital, where she was treated for injuries to her leg, arm and head.

“She’s really embarrassed about the whole thing,” Lockhart said

Submitted on 07/31/2005

Submitted by: H. Marq Conner
Reference: KC star, July 30, 2005

Copyright © 2005 DarwinAwards.com

Jack said:
Definitely Keep: Honorable Mention
I remember hearing about that on my local "drive time" radio station and thinking that it would make a good HM. I've been waiting it to show up. Thanks for the submission!

Charles said:
Definitely Keep: Honorable Mention
I'll agree with Jack here. Could she not have opened a window?

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