An Omaha woman is recovering and thankful she survived a hit-and-run crash early Sunday morning. Kayla Ahrens told 6 News she was on her way to a friend’s house around 3 a.m. Sunday when she was stopped by a red light at 96th Street and Giles Road.
The route was different from what she normally takes to get to her friend’s house. “I’ve driven to their house 1,000 times, and then the one time I take a different road, it changes,” Ahrens said.
She told 6 News no other cars were on the road except for the lights she saw in her rear view mirror. The car coming toward hers slammed right into the back of her.
The driver of the other car, 43-year-old Michael Allen Harris, drove off after the accident. Police caught him shortly after, and he was arrested for a long list of charges, including driving under the influence and driving without a license.
Ahrens was in disbelief when police told her that Harris had been arrested for driving under the influence 10 other times. "It would've been shocking if it was his second, but his tenth, I don't even have words for it. It just blows my mind. It makes me sick just to think about it,” Ahrens told 6 News.
Ahrens was treated at the hospital for a large gash on the back of her head that was held together with nine staples. She has bruises all over her body. Ahrens said she’s thankful Harris is behind bars and that the accident wasn’t worse. However, it doesn’t stop her from worrying about the future.
“What scares me is what happens when he gets out? I don’t exactly know what’s going to happen, but is he going to do it again?” Ahrens said. “Obviously he’s done it 10 other times, so that’s kind of a weird thing to think about.”
Harris is expected in court Tuesday morning in Sarpy County.