Mom and Daughter Avoid Deadly Crash and Offer Prayers for Family Who Was Hit Instead: 'You Protected Us'
"I pray to God that you're all safe," Angel Russell said of the family inside the truck
A woman and her young daughter narrowly escaped being hit by a car Saturday after a collision in Southern California that left one person dead.
Authorities said the crash took place on Woodman Avenue in the Valley Glen area of Los Angeles around 1 p.m. local time, according to FOX affiliate KTTV and ABC affiliate KABC-TV.
Angel Russell said she was putting a car seat in her car, which was parked along Woodman Avenue, when the incident occurred, per KTTV. She recalled hearing “a screech” before she looked up and saw a white car “lose control.”
Russell only “had seconds to react” to the oncoming danger. “So the only thing I could do is throw myself on the floor,” she said.
Related: 2 Dead, 9 Injured in 35-Vehicle Pileup in California: ‘Everybody Just Started Screaming for Help’
Police said the Lexus involved in the crash collided with a truck traveling in the opposite direction on Woodward, as well as two parked vehicles and a telephone pole, before coming to a stop, according to KABC-TV.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Russell said the oncoming truck was hit by the car just before the car was about to hit her, per KTTV. She then checked on her daughter before going to help the people in the white vehicle who were injured.
Related: Woman Found Alive in Wrecked Truck 4 Days After Driving Over Cliff in California National Forest
"I didn't know if it was going to explode, but I couldn't just not do anything, so I opened the door to see if they were okay, and their bodies just slumped over," Russell recalled.
One person died as a result of the collision. Three people inside the truck — a mother, a father and a daughter — are expected to survive their injuries, KTTV reported.
The Los Angeles Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Related: Pregnant Woman Dies After Crash Involving Off-Duty Cop, Baby Survives in Critical Condition
Though she is devastated for those injured in the crash, Russell is thankful that the truck stopped the Lexus from hitting her and her daughter.
"You were my and my daughter's guardian angel," she said, per KTTV. "You protected us. I pray to God that you're all safe, healthy and that your recovery is speedy.”
An investigation into the crash is ongoing, according to the reports.
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.
