“It’s a miracle.”: Girlfriend says motorcyclist hit by erratic driver on I-29 to make a full recovery

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - His family says it’s a miracle.

After being hit by a pickup going nearly 100 mph on the interstate Tuesday, a Horace motorcyclist is expected to make a full recovery, according to his loved ones.

34-year-old Eric O’Meara was driving southbound on I-29 just before 5 p.m. on July 19 when witnesses watched helplessly from their front seats as a pickup weaved in and out of interstate traffic. The pickup then hit O’Meara from behind which slammed him to the ground. Officials say the driver, 28-year-old Maichael Yousa sped off.

Yousa would then go on a 30-minute rampage across town. Officials say he fled the scene of the hit-and-run to his south Fargo apartment where witnesses say they watched as Yousa sprayed several rounds of bullets from the patio of his third floor unit. Officials say Yousa fled once again, getting in two more crashes before stopping on the interstate and firing rounds at a North Dakota State Trooper. The trooper, now identified as Miles Rhonemus, returned fire and hit Yousa twice in the arm. Yousa was treated at a local hospital and now sits behind bars at the Cass County Jail.

Meanwhile, O’Meara remains in the ICU on a ventilator, slowly recovering from his injuries.

Heather Brouillet says she and O’Meara have been together for more than 10 years, and says he can be easily described in four words: Life of the party.

“Eric is the kind of person who likes to talk to everybody, meet everybody, makes friends with everybody. He’s always the person that will light up a room when he walks in,” she said.

Eric is also a friend to many which is why Brouillet says when he wasn’t answering her calls or texts Tuesday evening she wasn’t worried. She says that’s not unlike him.

“Not until the troopers pulled up, then I knew. I was just hoping they weren’t going to tell me he was dead,” Brouillet said. “Your mind just races. A million thoughts go through your head.”

Despite not wearing a helmet and the deadly speeds, Brouillet says O’Meara only suffered a few broken ribs, road rash and what doctors say is a severe concussion.

“Not even a skull fracture; It’s pretty incredible. Very, very, very lucky,” she said.

And that good energy is what Brouillet says she’s holding onto. She says while she knows she has every right to hate the man who landed the love of her life in a hospital bed, she says it’s just not worth it.

“You just cant understand people’s anger in the world sometimes. And there’s no point in me being angry at him. That’s not going to solve anything. He’ll have his day in court and that’s all we can hope for,” she said.

Brouillet says O’Meara is expected to be taken off a ventilator by Wednesday, and could get out of the hospital as early as the end of this week.

A GoFundMe has been set up for O’Meara to help with his medical bills. You can find it by clicking here.

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