An incoming legislator involved in a rollover accident Thursday night plans to be in Little Rock on Monday to be sworn in, his wife said.
Rep.-elect Bob Ballinger, R-Hindsville, was traveling on Interstate 40from a meeting in Little Rock when he hit a bump in the road about a mile from the Ozark exit and hydroplaned into a guardrail, Jessica Ballinger said by phone Friday.
“He hit that and then he started rolling,” she said. “He was really worried he was going to go across and hit somebody else.”
Bob Ballinger’s 2008 Dodge Caliber rolled over about five times before being stopped on its side by a tree, she said.
Jessica Ballinger said three passers-by stopped. One began to pray and two others kicked in the vehicle’s windshield, unbuckled Ballinger’s seat belt and pulled him out.
“They saw the accident happen. They were there really quick,” she said.
Ballinger was kept in the hospital overnight and went home Friday.
Ballinger posted messages on Twitter from the hospital.
“OK, I’m not indestructible, 9 fractured ribs,” he wrote.
Jessica Ballinger said he also has internal bruising.
“We were very blessed, because he def initelycould have died. We were very lucky,” she said. “He’s glad to be home sleeping.”
The 89th General Assembly begins Monday.
Ballinger, a real estate attorney, won District 97 in November with 56 percent of the vote.
The district includes portions of Benton, Carroll, Madison and Washington counties. Towns in the district include Eureka Springs, Berryville, Goshen and Wesley.
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 7 on 01/12/2013