Motel guest gets one-ton wake-up call

updated 11:20 a.m. ET March 29, 2008

MAGNOLIA, Arkansas - Blake Icenhower got a one-ton wake-up call.

As the 19-year-old lay in bed Friday morning at a hotel, co-worker Hoby Armstrong went outside to start his Dodge diesel truck. Armstrong said he started the engine and stepped out of the cab.

That's when the lifted truck roared through the motel's brick-and-mortar wall, pushed aside a bed and went toward Icenhower. Icenhower said Armstrong was able to jump back into the cab and stop the truck a foot away from hitting him.

Armstrong suffered a scrape to his arm.

If the truck had struck two brick support beams less than five feet away, the top floor might have collapsed, motel owner Ken Patel said.

More from msnbc.com The recession is slowing in these 23 cities Which leader has a wandering eye? Take our quiz Elkhart Project Blog: We're at the county fair More personal stories of struggle and recovery  Stimulus spending faces red tape bottlenecks CQ: GOP decides 'it's the economy' in 2010

MORE FROM LIFE

Life Section Front

NYT: When is it OK for kids to run around naked? Calif. budget talks stall over school funding Hurricane preparations factor in recession Ex-Marine fends off lion with chainsaw Feds: HIV doesn't block barber, masseuse licenses Willis who? Sears Tower gets new name   He did it! Teen finishes solo sail around world NY hospital warns of possible hepatitis risk He can wiggle fingers of his transplanted hands Boaters pushed to register locators Life Section Front   Add Life headlines to your news reader: