Langley resident Jerry Stonebridge is lucky to be alive.

Stonebridge’s Ford pick-up truck was hit when an 85-year-old man fell asleep at the wheel and crossed the centerline, hitting Stonebridge head- on.

John Matthias was driving his brand-new Scion Xa southbound on Highway 525 near Cox Road in the Ledgewood Beach area when he began drifting across the road.

“He just came right across the road, right at us,” said Stonebridge, who along with his two passengers was unhurt in the wreck.

Crews transported Matthias to Whidbey General Hospital with cuts on his hands and arms, State Patrol Trooper Julie Swanson said. Matthias told Swanson that he had fallen asleep.

Oak Harbor resident Paul Gillon said he had been following Matthias since Libbey Road and had not seen anything out of the ordinary.

“He just drove off and hit the truck,” Gillon said.

After the crash, Gillon said he stopped and tried to control Matthias’ bleeding.

“I’ve never seen anything like that,” he said. “I just said to myself, ‘this guy’s leaving the road; he’s in the other lane and he’s gonna hit the other car’.”

Stonebridge said he tried to avoid the oncoming car by veering to his right. He was driving in the ditch, up against an enbankment when the cars collided.

“I saw him coming from a long ways,” Stonebridge said. “I was just hoping he would wake up and come to and see us.”

You can reach News-Times reporter Eric Berto at eberto@whidbeynewstimes.com.