BOISE, Idaho — Mark Cronjaeger tells Idaho News 6 he was driving through Boise, heading home to Texas from Oregon, when just after 9:40 p.m., another car slammed into him on the Connector.
He says he’s lucky to be alive.
“All of a sudden there’s a black sedan, at [my] 10 o’clock, pushing the front end of my car across [the lane],” said Cronjaeger.
He said his car spun into the median before coming to a stop.
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“The car came to a stop. I was like, ‘Okay, I’m still alive.’ There was smoke coming out of the hood, so I just jumped out of the car, and then I was like, ‘What the heck happened? Why would somebody do that to me?'” Cronjaeger recounted.
Several drivers stopped to help, including the McDaniel family from Meridian, who saw Cronjaeger’s car hit the inside median. They said the impact was so intense, they feared he had been seriously hurt.
Cronjaeger said he’s lucky to have walked away with only minor injuries. “That’s a first-degree airbag burn there, and then a big chunk of skin came off on that side. I’m okay,” he said.
His car, however, is now totaled. The McDaniel family stayed with him as police and fire crews arrived, and later drove him to the hospital, making sure he wasn’t alone in a place where he didn’t know anyone.
Witnesses told Idaho News 6 they believe the car that hit Cronjaeger may have been racing, possibly going around 100 miles per hour, along the stretch of the Connector where the speed limit drops from 60 to 45.
Cronjaeger said he’s concerned reckless driving may be common in the Treasure Valley, but he’s grateful he was wearing his seatbelt — and especially thankful for the McDaniel family.
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“I’d walk away from Boise thinking I never want to come back here based on the [first] part of the experience. Now, I hope they come to Dallas, or I’d love to meet them again. It restores your faith that there are good people,” added Cronjaeger.
The scary experience has inspired him to help others and pay it forward should he ever come across a crash in the future.
Idaho News 6 has reached out to local and state law enforcement for information about the crash and any ongoing investigation, but has not yet heard back.
