Posted: 4/20/05
By Aaron Vehling
Six-year-old Jacob Puchtel of Oxford Township crossed the road Wednesday afternoon (April 13) to get the mail with his mother, Beth, and twin sister, Gracie. When Jacob turned around into the eastbound lane of Isanti County Road 9, he was struck by a 1996 Ford F150 pickup driven by William Fernow, 38, of North Branch, according to a report from the Isanti County Sheriffís Department.
Jacob, a kindergartner at Main Street School in North Branch, was airlifted to North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale. He is currently out of critical condition and is breathing on his own, Jacobís father, Steve Puchtel, said Monday in a phone interview. As of Tuesday, Jacob was speaking, he said.
One indicator for his parents that Jacob would be OK was when a nurse was inserting a needle into Jacob. Steve Puchtel said his son turned to the nurse and said, ìStop poking me with that thing or Iím going to bust it.î
Fernow, who has had three DUIs since 1991, was driving with a license that has been suspended since February 2004 because he failed to pay fines for a speeding ticket, said Russ Monson, chief deputy of the Isanti County Sheriffís Department. Puchtel said his wife has had an easier time forgiving Fernow for the accident than he has. ìItís hard not to be angry,î he said.
Puchtel attributes Jacobís healing progress to the scores of folks praying for his son.
ìItís unbelievable, the power of everyone praying,î he said.
Puchtel said he was thankful for all those who helped his son out, including a trauma nurse who he credits with saving Jacobís life.
Denise Dahl, Jacobís kindergarten teacher at Main Street School, visited him Sunday afternoon. She brought with her a banner with a class picture and the signatures of Jacobís classmates.
ìWe wanted Jacob to know we were all thinking of him while he was mending in the hospital,î she said.
Jacob slept through Dahlís visit. She said that as she was hanging up his banner, she noticed how he looked much like a five-year-old taking a nap and not like a child who had endured an accident.
ìIt was nice to see that he looked like typical Jacob,î she said.
The crash occurred about one-tenth of a mile west of Xingu Street on CR-9. The tire skid marks indicated that Fernow was driving about 67-68 miles per hour in a 55-mile-per-hour zone. Charges are pending against Fernow, who was not injured and who was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash.
Monson said it had been incorrectly reported earlier that Fernowís license was suspended because of a failure to appear in court on a driving under intoxication charge.
Fernow could not be reached for comment.
A fund is set up for Jacob at the First National Bank, 5655 Stacy Trail, Stacy, Minn. 55079. Checks can be made out to Jacob Puchtel.
©ECM Post Review
6448 Main Street
North Branch, MN 55056
Telephone: 651-674-7025
Fax: 651-674-7026
E-mail: editor.postreview@ecm-inc.com