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Drunk Man Rescued From Car Dangling on Highway Overpass (See the Sobering Pictures)

Nov. 25, 2012 7:34am Liz Klimas

Matthew Alan Hamilton of Oregon Rescued Dangling from Highway Overpass, Blood Alcohol Registered Six Times Legal Limit

Matthew Alan Hamilton’s truck dangles several feet from a highway overpass in Oregon. His blood alcohol levels registered six times the legal limit. (Photo: AP)

BEAVERTON, Ore. (TheBlaze/AP) — The image of a truck dangling precariously from a highway overpass generally doesn’t lend itself to a happy ending. But the 38-year-old Beaverton driver who was rescued can consider himself lucky after his pickup truck hung from Highway 217 for nearly an hour after it crashed through a guard rail.

Matthew Alan Hamilton was hospitalized Saturday afternoon after firefighters plucked him from the hanging truck using a ladder with a basket.

The Oregonian posted this picture of the scene from another angle:

(Photo: Rebecca Jones via The Oregonian)

Beaverton police say he was arrested for DUI and would be taken to jail when he leaves the hospital. The Oregonian reported that his blood alcohol levels registered six times the legal limit. His injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.

This image provided by the Beaverton Police Department shows Matthew Alan Hamilton . (Photo: AP)

According to KOIN 6, police documents stated Hamilton had been driving on a suspended license and had a misdemeanor for a previous DUII (Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants) and misdemeanor warrant.

Watch the report:

The crash shut down part of the busy roadway for several hours until the truck could be removed with a large crane.

The Oregonian reports that the wheels of the truck caught on part of the overpass and apparently kept it from falling.

(Photo: Beaverton Police)

There was no immediate word on how the crash occurred, but it is reported to be a single-car accident.

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Comments (35)

riseandshine
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 11:56pm
one

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riseandshine
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 11:55pm
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riseandshine
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 11:55pm
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riseandshine
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 11:55pm
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riseandshine
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 11:54pm
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riseandshine
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 11:54pm
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riseandshine
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 11:54pm
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riseandshine
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 11:53pm
eight

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riseandshine
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 11:53pm
nine

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riseandshine
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 11:52pm
ten

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garbagecanlogic
Posted on November 25, 2012 at 11:39am
Really screwed up a nice lookin truck. Course you can expect it from somone who thinks he looks cool with a ten-day growth of **** on his face that must feel like sandpaper when being kissed. Yuck!

Praise Be To Obama. Psalm 109:8

The U.S. Out Of The U.N.
The U.N. Out Of The U.S.

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randy
Posted on November 25, 2012 at 10:01am
Cranes and all that extra work just to get the truck off the guard rail?
How about just sawing off the guard rail and let the truck fall.

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- blanco5
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 10:38am
  Ha!
  
  Report this comment
hockeybik
Posted on November 25, 2012 at 9:42am
Can anyone explain why a fireman’s forearm and hand appear to be floating unconnected to a body out there next to the firetruck? It’s either some weird optical illusion or some awful photoshopping work.

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- Stelex
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 10:00am
  Nice catch……wonder why the doctored it?
  
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- Eastinfection
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 1:19pm
  Maybe “The Thing” from the Addams Family got a job as a fireman?
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_pMlnOxotA
  
  Report this comment
- newwell
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 5:45pm
  Nope, this was the real deal. I was almost in that gridlock on Rt. 217, but decided to stay in. Thank you LORD for changing my mind. I went under that overpass today & yeap, it’s in need of repair.
  
  Report this comment
- Eastinfection
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 6:26pm
  NEWWELL…
  we were talking about the first photo… there’s a hand floating in mid-air… please explain how that’s the “real deal”….
  
  Report this comment
- newwell
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 7:28pm
  OMG, I didn’t even notice that. I have no idea what the heck that is. But yeap, that looks like a floating arm. The accident was real. And I would have been on Rt. 217 just about 4 PM, but changed my mind & decided to stay in. Whew!!! Missed that one.
  
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- N37BU6
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 6:29am
  It’s 2 regular aspect ratio photographs stitched together to form a panorama. That’s where the two blend.
  
  Very amateur job, that’s for sure.
  
  Report this comment
Gary_K
Posted on November 25, 2012 at 9:07am
It wasn’t me, I would not have been so “lucky”.

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matt_c
Posted on November 25, 2012 at 8:47am
If only the victims of drunk drivers were as lucky as the drivers themselves often are.

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JACKTHETOAD
Posted on November 25, 2012 at 8:08am
It didn’t sober me up. Not for one second. I don’t drive when I drink. Thank God for ‘demon rum’ every now and then and again. :)

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piper60
Posted on November 25, 2012 at 7:47am
Think of the man hours money, time, and inconvenience of the drivers who had to be detoured around this mess. What an idiot. I hope he has to re-emburse the city.

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DMENTED
Posted on November 25, 2012 at 7:46am
Another drunk just hangin’ around.

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- Cadcamtrainer
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 9:04am
  Give the truck a little push. Save the world from another worthless slime bag!
  
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Bronco II
Posted on November 25, 2012 at 7:43am
GOD gives up wake up calls but many times they go ignores will we read about him again doing the same thing who knows.He was lucky GOD was there and sent people to help him I give credit where credit is due and GOD gets the credit always.

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IndyGuy
Posted on November 25, 2012 at 7:36am
He was certainly well hung…

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- decendentof56
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 7:52am
  Well hung over.
  Hung out to dry
  He could elaborate on how……well……hung he is.
  One good thing…..he won’t have to bother drinking on new years eve. He’ll still be (pardon the pun) “hung over.”
  
  Report this comment
- willbedone
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 8:02am
  Well, I do know that he will be “hung out to dry”
  
  Report this comment
- JACKTHETOAD
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 8:42am
  Let’s hope the guy dosen’t get a hung jury at his trial.
  
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- decendentof56
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 10:09am
  I wouldn’t get hung up on that prospect.
  
  Report this comment
- SolitudeBliss
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 10:13am
  Think he’ll ‘hang around’ for the trial?
  
  Report this comment
- Eastinfection
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 1:22pm
  William Hung….. “i Believe i can Fly”…..
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ApZbtYPhy4
  
  Report this comment
- Pantloadian
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 9:41am
  The deathless wit of conservative minds. and you wonder why people say you have no sense of humor.
  
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