Driver thankful to be alive after huge tree crushes Corvette with him inside

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - A Charlotte man says he's lucky to be alive after a huge tree came crashing down on top of his Corvette while he was driving.

Sonny Dixon says he was driving along West Sugar Creek Road Sunday when the storms got bad. He says he could barely see in front of him.

"Couldn't see the highway. Couldn't see any places you could pull over and park until the rain slowed up. Couldn't see anything," he said.

Before he knew it, a tree had crashed right on top of his car.

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"I just didn't know what was going on with all the glass coming from everywhere. I looked around like this and there was a tree right behind my head."

Dixon was left pinned in the car. He says the tree smashed part of his head into the vehicle and he felt the blood start to drip.

"Blood was coming from everywhere, and I didn't know how I was gonna get out of this car and I just started praying," he said.

His prayers were answered.

Neighbors spotted Dixon's car and first responders rushed to the site. They began the process of removing him from the vehicle and, after several minutes, he was free.

"Everybody thought I would have a broken neck or a broken back because of my position in the car," Dixon explained.

Dixon has neither, but he does have a head cut that required 22 stitches and bruises. His family is thankful that's all the damage that was done.

"I came prepared for, not exactly knowing what I was gonna get into, but he's an actual walking testimony," said Dixon's daughter, Carla Williams.

Dixon isn't worried about his smashed up Corvette, as he says he has got 15 other cars. His family thinks he might have nine lives.

Dixon was released from the hospital Monday, but large sections of the tree remain where the crash happened.

"No broken bones, no internal injuries, no concussion," Dixon said.

His family thinks the roll bar on the car may have kept the tree just high enough to save Dixon's life. He credits God for being with him in that Corvette.

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