ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — "I heard the screeching tires, but I didn't even have time to turn my head," said Carl Seese.
Seese recalled the quick nightmare that happened in broad daylight to him and five of his co-workers.
"The car was fishtailing and turned around backward and then just stuck and shot like a rocket into the crowd," said Seese.
He says around 10:30 Friday morning, he and his fellow carpenters from Glenlo Awning and Window Company in Imperial were installing a new awning on a resale shop in Lemay in south St. Louis County.
He says they were just one hour on the job when a driver in a light-colored Cadillac sped around a curve in the 9900 block of South Broadway, left the road and crashed into them.
The 58-year-old husband, father and grandfather fell off a ladder.
"I opened my eyes and I was just lying in front of the Cadillac that hit me. My buddies all jumped out of the way and were trying to stop the bleeding in my head. My dog usually jumps up on me and sits on my lap, but not right now because my right leg hurts. I am lucky to be alive. I guess God has more for me to do," said Seese.
He suffered a serious back injury, a cut on his head and bruises.
"Right now, it's tough just getting up and moving. It's gotten better and will get better, but its not good now. I'm in a lot of physical and emotional pain," he said.
His co-worker and friend, 34-year-old Chris Johnson from House Springs, was handing him materials when he got pinned under a truck and died.
Johnson had a 7-year-old son.
"It's crazy. For senseless driving like that, we lost a man who loved his parents and loved his son. It is unfair," said Carl.
Police say 19-year-old Deondre Robinson, the driver of the Cadillac, and 19-year-old Patrick Allen, another driver, were drag racing "at very high speeds" moments before the deadly crash.
"I just think they need to receive the maximum penalty so that people know that you're gonna pay for your actions. Whether they serve time or not, it's not gonna bring back Chris. His son's gonna be devastated. His parents will have a hole in their hearts that will never heal," said Seese.
Seese is now wearing a brace to support his injured back.
He also has stitches in his head.
Deondre Robinson and Patrick Allen are both locked up in the St. Louis County Justice Center.