Oklahoma tornadoes: Trucker lives to tell tornado tale

Jeremiah Morrison, 29, of McAlester, was westbound on Interstate 40 near the McLoud exit when he spotted a tornado in the distance. He parked his truck on the side of the interstate, got out and used his cellphone to shoot some video.

Then the tornado changed paths and started heading toward him.

“It's almost like it was gunning for me,” Morrison said.

He jumped back into the driver's seat, but before he could fasten his seat belt, the tornado grabbed hold of the truck and trailer.

“I remember putting my arms over my face and saying ‘here we go,'” Morrison said.

It shook the truck like a salt shaker, turned the rig on its side and threw him out the passenger side window onto the earth. Then, as if the storm had gotten what it wanted, it set the truck back on its wheels and moved on, he said.

Morrison said the truck and trailer weighed about 45,000 pounds. The trailer was totaled, but the truck is fixable, he said.

He walked away with cuts, bruises, a twisted ankle and a fractured shoulder. He'll be wearing a sling for a few weeks.

“No doubt, being in that truck saved my life,” Morrison said.