Man impaled through windshield of car survives

MARIETTA, Ga. - A man impaled by a chain link fencepost was still fighting for his life Monday evening at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital. That post went through the man’s Ford F-150 on Saturday around 7 a.m. as he was driving along Church Street.

The family said Tim Buford was on his way to work as a contractor when his vehicle left the road. Police said his truck went through a chain-link fence over a retaining wall into a closed-off parking lot at 700 Church Street. The family said two hospital security guards saw it happen. Buford was rushed into surgery at the hospital.

“He’s in really bad condition. He had a pole go through his chest and it tore out multiple ribs and other bones along with the top part of his right lung. He had emergency surgery’s and also a reconstructive surgery to hold his chest together,” said Tim’s son Carson Buford.

Investigators with the Marietta Police Department said they do not believe drugs or alcohol were involved in the accident, but they are still investigating what happened that morning.

On the GoFundMe page, the family said emergency surgery resulted in the total reconstruction of his upper right chest and having the upper lobe of his right lung removed.

As of Monday night, Carson said his father “is awake and alert and knows what’s going on for the most part but he’s having trouble breathing and he’s just in a lot of pain. But he’s very, very lucky to be alive!”

The family said the car is totaled and Buford doesn’t have medical insurance. They’ve set up a GoFundMe account to help with expenses.