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Winter Haven family seriously injured in crash
According to deputies, street racing caused the crash on Havendale Boulevard Thursday night. Prudy Cole, a grandmother who was driving her daughter and grandchildren, wants the teens who were racing held accountable.
POLK COUNTY, Fla. - A Winter Haven family is now back home and is feeling lucky to be alive after being the victims of a serious car crash last week.
Deputies with the Polk County Sheriff's Office say street racing was the cause of the crash on Havendale Blvd Thursday night.
READ: Winter Haven crash leaves 7 injured, deputies investigate whether street-racing caused it
Prudy Cole, her daughter, and her four grandchildren, aged 10 and under, were heading home after attending the Lakeland Christmas Parade.
Prudy Cole
After stopping to eat at a local restaurant, they turned east onto Havendale Blvd.
"As soon as I got into the middle lane, I looked into my rearview mirror, and I saw these headlights coming extra fast," Cole said. "I screamed and said, 'Oh my God, the car's going to hit us.'"
A White BMW that was allegedly racing another car smashed into the back of them.
"The officer at the scene said they were going well over 100 miles an hour," said Cole.
Cole only remembers waking up and then trying to help her grandchildren who all suffered broken legs.
"I got out of my car and just fell right on my knees and started praying, screaming to God to please save them."
They were taken to the hospital with one child being placed in a coma because of brain swelling.
"I think you can race on a racetrack or anywhere that other cars aren't if you want to put your own life in danger, going 100 mph, but not where people drive or walk or there are businesses," Cole said.
Cole said she wants the two teens behind the wheel, a 17 and 18-year-old, to be held accountable.
She's also pushing for harsher punishments for street racing.
"This will affect these children, and myself and my daughter for the rest of our lives, so they need to understand what they did for the rest of their lives," she said.
18-year-old Braedon Loed, the driver of the BMW, and the 17-year-old driving the other car were both charged with two misdemeanors -- Reckless Driving with Property Damage and Personal Injury and Participating in Unlawful race.