Teen hit by car still critical

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, December 2, 2009

By Steve Huffman
shuffman@salisburypost.com
ROCKWELL ó A teen hit by a car while walking along Sides Road last week remains in critical condition at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte.
Clinton Lee Cook Zimmerman, 18, of 359 E. Main St., Rockwell, was injured the night of Dec. 10.
“We’re just hoping and praying,” said Clinton’s mother, Julie Zimmerman, who has been at the hospital almost constantly since the accident. “We’re hopeful he’s going to be all right. They haven’t told me anything else.”
The accident happened about 6:15 p.m. on Dec. 10. The night was rainy, and the N.C. Highway Patrol trooper who investigated the accident said Zimmerman was wearing dark clothes as he walked with traffic, heading northwest on Sides Road.
Pedestrians, the Highway Patrol advises, should always walk facing oncoming vehicles.
Zimmerman was hit by a 2006 Honda driven by Judy Huffman Lefler, 64, of 403 Joe St., Rockwell. According to a Highway Patrol report, Zimmerman was hit in the car’s lane of travel.
Lefler’s car then went off the right side of the road before striking a culvert and coming back onto the road.
The impact knocked Zimmerman into the opposite lane of Sides Road. Lefler’s speed was estimated at 45 mph in the 55 mph zone.
Zimmerman was taken to Rowan Regional Medical Center before being transported to Carolinas Medical Center.
Julie Zimmerman said her son, a senior at East Rowan High School, is in a medically induced coma. She said he’s medically paralyzed so his brain might begin to heal.
Julie said her son works part time at Dollar General in Rockwell where he’s a stocker. She said the site of the accident is about a half-mile from the family’s house.
Julie said her son was walking to a friend’s house at the time of the accident.
Bob Zimmerman, Clinton’s stepfather, said his stepson remains on life support. “He’s on a breathing machine and everything,” he said.
Bob said the family belongs to Faith Baptist Church and said church members have been wonderful about providing for the family since the accident.
“They’re doing all they can do,” he said. “They’re great.”
Julie said friends and family members have sent her microwavable food items that can be heated in a waiting room just outside Carolinas Medical Center’s intensive care unit.
“That way I don’t have to go anywhere,” she said. “I can be right here if (Clinton) needs me.”
Julie said she’s allowed to see her son periodically, but said she has to keep her visits brief because Clinton’s blood pressure climbs when she speaks to him.
“I guess he knows his mama is talking to him,” she said.
Julie said anyone wishing to help her son can do so by sending cards to the family’s house. Bob picks up the mail and takes it to the hospital daily.
Julie said she’s confident her son will recover and said she thinks he’ll enjoy reading cards during the recovery process.
Cards can be mailed to: Clinton Zimmerman, 359 E. Main St., Rockwell, NC 28138.
Julie said she’d love to talk to friends. She said the hours in the waiting room are long and speaking to loved ones helps them pass more quickly.
The number to a phone in the waiting room outside the intensive care unit at Carolinas Medical Center is 704-355-1496.