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Aftermath: Recovering after high velocity car crash in Kelowna

Karla Mindel was asleep in the passenger seat when she heard her friend shout ѻýmeridian!ѻý
12758853_web1_copy_180717-KCN-Karla

ѻýMeridian!ѻý was the last thing Karla Mindel heard Lenard Haines say before the car they were traveling in crashed into a cement wall.

Mindel was sleeping in the front seat as the vehicle was speeding down Highway 33 just after 3 a.m. on June 20.

The vehicle crossed into oncoming lanes and struck a cement wall ejecting three of the occupants from the vehicle including Haines and Mindel. The driver and three passengers were taken to Kelowna General Hospital immediately with serious injuries.

Debris from the early morning crash scattered across a one-block radius between Nickel and Kneller roads in Rutland.

In the vehicle was Mindel, Haines, his brother Shane Haines and two dogsѻýa puppy that was treated for a broken leg and Jewels, a bull mastiff that went missing. Mindel declined to identify the male driver.

Media reports this week revealed that Lenard Haines died from injuries sustained in the crash, although neither Kelowna RCMP or the Coronerѻýs office have confirmed that or anything else about the accident investigation since it happened. The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. is still investigating the incident.

ѻýI kind of woke up a bit to the guys talking and saying something about police chasing us, I thought ѻýYeah, rightѻý but then I saw the lights and heard Lenard yell meridian, that was it. Everything went black again, ѻý Mindel recalled in an interview with the Capital News.

Mindel was sent to the hospital with serious injuries including a broken sternum and road rash ѻýall over my body.ѻý

While in the hospital, Mindel was distraught because her dog, Jewels, had been ejected from the car and had not yet been found.

She was so distressed that the nurses allowed her to leave with a friend for a few hours to look for Jewels after she had stabilized from her injuries.

ѻýI was so worried about her when I woke up in the hospital, no one knew there was another dog in the car. I didnѻýt know where she was. I just sat there and cried for the first two days.ѻý

Determined to find her, Mindel set out barefoot, in her hospital gown attached to her IV, calling for Jewels, ѻýscreaming her name,ѻý as she recalled.

ѻýI went to the crash siteѻýit was heart breaking, I was really overwhelmed. I sat on that wall where we hit talking to Lenard, telling him how much I miss him and I said goodbye.ѻý

Jewels was found by Stacey Hubbard who chased the dog down after seeing her get clipped by a car.

Hubbard took Jewels to Pawsitive Veterinary Care where she was treated for road rash on her face and the cuts on her paws from running on the hot cement.

ѻýShe was running so fast and could hardly run properly, her back legs looked as if they were about to give out any minute,ѻý said Hubbard, who chased her despite having a broken ankle herself. ѻýThose two have a guardian angel for sure. They are lucky to be alive.ѻý

ѻýI have never been in this kind of situation before, I have had friends pass away, but nothing like this,ѻý Mindel added. ѻýAll three of us were ejected from the car.ѻý

The three were visiting Kelowna from Williams Lake to celebrate Fatherѻýs Day with Shane Hainesѻý daughter.

ѻýIt has been one of the worst weeks of my life,ѻý Mindel said. ѻýI have known him for 19 years, people are blaming me, saying it was my fault because it was my car.

ѻýA lot of rumours have been going around that I was the driver, but I wasnѻýt, I was asleep. When someone is hurting they want to blame somebody, it has put me into quite a depression.ѻý

Mindel, who attended Hainesѻý funeral and the wake the night before, says his mother and brother were happy to see her but she had to leave because of the whispers.

ѻýThey were saying I killed him, I had to go sit in the car and cry.ѻý

Before attending the funeral, Mindel was in front of the mirror styling her hair while her family was waiting when she says she felt Lenardѻýs presence.

ѻýI felt his breath on my back, and I heard Lenardѻýs voice, he said my name. It sent chills down my spine.ѻý

Mindelѻýs brother started a page to help pay for her medical bills and support their parents who had to stay in Kelowna to be by her side.

So far $200 has been raised toward the goal of $10,000. Mindel has borrowed money from friends to help keep the power on at the family home in Williams lake, since her father is now 75 and can no longer work leaving her mother to support the family as a careworker.

ѻýThe cable and hydro was cut off the other week, usually I help her out but itѻýs just her right now. I feel so bad that I canѻýt help her.ѻý

According to the gofundme page, Mindel has decided that any funds raised ѻýdeemed extraѻý and not necessary for her and Jewelsѻý recovery will be turned over to the Hainesѻý family to help with funeral costs.

Mindel is still recovering at home with Jewels and will see her daughter, Jenny, for the first time since the incident to celebrate her birthday in the park together.

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sydney.morton@kelownacapnews.com

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