A 71-year-old woman received a helping hand Friday night from Ohio State Highway Patrol and North Ridgeville Police Department when she entered an OVI checkpoint in Lorain County with a flat tire.
According to TMC News, the woman, who resides in Lorain, was on her way come from the Cleveland area when she pulled into the checkpoint. She told authorities she was driving home on I-71 when she noticed something was wrong with the car and got off the highway in hopes of finding help.
OSHP Lt. Carlos Smith and another trooper went to work changing the tire but the final lug nut was stuck. NRPD Chief Mike Freeman and his fellow officers pitched in and with some tools they gathered from the employees at a nearby Chipotle restaurant they were all able to remove the stubborn lug nut — only to find out the tire was still stuck on the car.
Lt. Smith grabbed a crowbar out of his cruiser and with a final heave, broke loose the tire. Several minutes later the car was sitting on a spare.
The 71-year-old appeared a bit nervous about finding her way back home, so Instead of just simply sending her on the way, North Ridgeville officers gave her a police escort back to her house.
The woman later told police that when she saw the flashing lights she said her "prayers were answered."
