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Lafayette woman survives nearly 2 days trapped in car after fatal crash

Posted at 6:30 PM, Oct 15, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-16 12:10:14-04

A Lafayette woman is sharing her story of survival, after being trapped in an overturned car for nearly two days.

Two weeks after the crash, Jada Jones was still hospitalized in Baton Rouge Monday.

Jones was behind the wheel, traveling back to Lafayette from Baton Rouge when she went off the road in a curve.

She and her friend, Brittany Guillory, survived the initial crash. However, they were trapped. Guillory would later die as they waited for help.

“I couldn’t understand why my friend had to die in my arms,” Jones said while fighting back tears. “Why my best friend had to go.”

Jones is still coming to terms with the death of her friend.

“I was driving it’s like I missed the whole curve,” Jones said. “I just missed the whole thing and we were airborne. No skid marks. No nothing. We just straight airborne and Brittany saved my life actually because my door came off. I was supposed to be out the car. I had my seat belt on , but she pulled me. She did not let go of me. She pulled me back into the vehicle. ”

When the car stopped, both were trapped. Jones arm was pinned underneath the car, making it difficult to get out of the car. She says she was able to cling on to her friend, while praying for help to arrive.

“I went towards her and I grabbed her with my one arm and I hugged her,” Jones said. “We were hugging each other. She started to catch a seizure, but I couldn’t let her die. I told her you’re not dying right now. Not right now. I grabbed her tongue and gave her mouth to mouth and she came back to me.”

However, Guillory would have another seizure.

“She caught her second seizure and died in my arms ,” Jones said. “I couldn’t let her go. I just couldn’t . When she was catching her seizure I just held her so tight. ”

Jones began using socks and sticks near her to flag down someone for help. However, the car was stuck deep down in a canal, making it difficult for them to be seen.

“I kept hearing people and I couldn’t understand why they couldn’t hear me,” Jones said. “I would bang and kept saying ‘help us please’.”

Deputies initially pinged their cell phones, but couldn’t find them.

“I just really wish they would’ve got down (search into the canal), because if they would’ve got down my friend would probably still be there.”

It began raining while Jones was trapped inside the car. Jones said water began to fill the car. She was able to pull herself up enough to get oxygen and kick open a window to let some of the water out, to prevent drowning.

Jones’ family and friends would later find the two, back tracking their steps to find the vehicle.

“They found me just in time, because 7 or 8 hours i would’ve went into a coma,” Jones said.

Jones is expected to be released from the hospital soon. She suffered severe injuries to her arm and is working on regaining movement.

Jones went on to describe how Guillory always knew the latest music and dance moves. The two met while working at McDonald’s in Eunice.

Jones says Guillory previously helped save a friend’s life in 2011. Jones explained how Guillory pushed a friend out of the way when a drunk driver veered off the road. Guillory was struck instead, suffering injuries.

Guillory’s mother Marelda Guillory , described her daughter as a hero. “Everything she did was for the love of others,”  Marelda said.

She added, “Brittany and Jada were two soldiers fighting for each others lives. They both won because Jada was saved and Brittany was called home to God. I’m grateful and thank Jada for really fighting to keep them both alive.”

While Jones will be back home soon, she wishes she could see her friend again.

“Brittany was the most amazing person,” Jones said. “She didn’t give up on me, just like I didn’t give up on her. We both fought a battle. She was forever my hype man, now she’s forever my angel. I have to stay strong, I can’t sit here and sit in sorrow because I know she wouldn’t want that.”

If you’d like to make a donation to help Jones you can click here for more information