Outpouring of support for KTVU reporter, photographer nearly hit by car
FREMONT, Calif. (KTVU) - From well wishes to flowers and even a package of beer, there has been an outpouring of support for KTVU reporter Alex Savidge and photographer Chip Vaughan after a scary moment happened on live TV Tuesday.
As Alex was covering the train derailment in Alameda County, a car crashed and careened toward him and Chip.
Alex was live on Mornings on 2 at that moment. He was standing in a 7-Eleven parking lot on Mission Blvd. at Niles Canyon Road in Fremont.
Alex credits Chip for yelling, "get out of the way." Out of instinct Alex jumped to the right - luckily since the car was on his left side.
"It happened in a split second. I'm just thankful he jumped the right way." said Chip.
The past day has been a whirlwind for the pair. As they've recovered from that scary moment, they've been flooded with requests from media around the world.
Viewers are showing their support for Alex and Chip.
In a live Facebook video Alex said he was going to go home to have a beer to decompress. When asked what his favorite beer was, he replied "Ballast Point."
Hours later, a package of beer from Ballast Point arrived for Alex in the newsroom. He also received champagne.
A loyal viewer also sent both Alex and Chip flowers on Wednesday morning.
"The outpouring of support has been overwhelming and makes me realize how caring our viewers are. I'm definitely still trying to figure it all out," said Alex.
Chip added he's heard from a lot of friends, former colleagues - people he hasn't heard from in years. "It's kind of overwhelming and it's hard to answer everybody. I was up until 8:30 or 9 p.m. responding... I can't believe how fast my phone is draining." Chip was then up at 3 a.m. as he returned to work to shoot more video out in the field for Mornings on 2.
Alex returned to work Wednesday, and was covering traffic from the safety of the newsroom.
Meanwhile, Fremont police have been investigating the crash. They say a white sedan was turning right when it turned into the path of another car. The vehicles crashed. Police believe the woman in the white sedan may have hit the gas, instead of the brakes, which caused the vehicle to careen over a sidewalk toward Alex. No one was injured in the incident.
The woman's license was taken away. Fremont police say the woman will have to go to the DMV to take reaction and eyesight tests. She will lose her license if she doesn't pass the tests.
At the time of the crash, Alex was covering the story of a train derailment in Alameda County. An ACE commuter train plunged in a fast moving creek Monday evening in Niles Canyon near Palomares Rd. after a mudslide blocked part of the tracks.