A West Virginia television news reporter was hit by a car during a live broadcast on Wednesday, with the vehicle slamming into her from behind and knocking her to the ground — but the consummate professional quickly assured viewers that she was OK before standing up and finishing her report.
Video shows Tori Yorgey, a journalist at WSAZ-TV, looking into the camera as anchor Tim Irr, seen on split screen back in the studio, introduces her report on a water main break in Dunbar.
Yorgey nods and is just about to speak when she is suddenly struck from behind by an SUV, sending her flying into the camera and onto the floor.
‘Oh my god! I just got hit by a car, but I’m OK. I just got hit by a car, but I’m OK, Tim,’ a shaken Yorgey could be heard saying.
Yorgey continued to assure Irr and viewers that she was OK even as she gathered herself to stand back up, and she even assured the driver who hit her that there was no problem, calling her ‘sweet’ for her concern.
Video shows Tori Yorgey (right), a journalist at WSAZ-TV, standing in front of the camera getting ready to report on a water main break in Dunbar, with Tim Irr (left) in the studio
Yorgey didn’t even see the SUV coming as it made a poorly-executed turn behind her — but the camera caught the seconds the front of the car came too close before crashing into her back.
Caught completely off-guard, Yorgey made a noise as she was flung forward into the camera before she landed on the ground.
‘Wow, that’s a first for you on TV, Tori,’ said Irr as he looked concerned.
Yorgey could be heard repeatedly saying ‘I’m OK’, while the camera that she had set up to film had been knocked hard enough to have fallen on its side.
‘That’s live TV for you. It’s all good,’ Yorgey, who has worked for WSAV for three years, could be heard saying off-camera. ‘I actually got hit by a car in college too, just like that. I’m so glad I’m OK.’
Yorgey, who could be seen emerging back on the camera after picking herself up from the ground, assured the anchor: ‘We’re good, Tim.’
The woman who had apparently been driving the SUV could be heard off camera apologizing to Yorgey and asking if she was OK.
‘Ma’am, you are so sweet, and you are OK,’ Yorgey, who sounded out of breath, said.
As the live broadcast continued, Irr asked Yorgey where she had been hit by the car because she had disappeared after the impact.
‘I don’t even know Tim,’ a visibly-shaken Yorgey said, asking someone off-camera where she had been hit.
‘My life just flashed before my eyes. But this is live TV and everything is OK,’ Yorkey added while smiling. ‘I thought I was in a safe spot but clearly we might need to move the camera over a bit.’
Yorgey, who could be seen emerging back on the camera after picking herself up from the ground, said to the camera: ‘We’re good, Tim’
After adjusting the camera, Yorgey said: ‘That woman was so nice though, it was an accident, she didn’t mean to.’
Astonishingly, despite being flung to the floor after being hit by a SUV, Yorgey continued her report.
‘But again, Tim, we’ll get back to the report, right? We’re on Roxalana Hills Drive in Dunbar. This is where that water main break,’ she said.
Meanwhile, anchor Irr later revealed on Twitter that he didn’t see Yorgey get hit, and could only hear what was happening via audio.
‘Even though she jumped right up and said she was ok, I was still concerned,’ he said.
‘Trying to remain calm at the moment was not easy for all involved. But we tried to the best of our ability. In hindsight, I’m grateful they stayed with her to make sure she was indeed ok.’
He also assured followers that Yorgey was later taken to the hospital to be checked out.
‘Frightening moment for Tori,’ he wrote. ‘She’s young, but is a pro for sure.’
Yorgey had earlier noted that the incident occurred during her final week with WSAV, with her last day being Friday according to a Facebook post.
She wrote on Facebook last week: ‘From there, I’ll head to my home state of Pennsylvania to continue reporting in the city of Pittsburgh…where I’ll be closer to family.
‘It’s going to be the hardest ‘see you later,’ but one that I know is best for my future and I’m excited for what’s ahead.’