"I just came by to let everybody know I ain't dead. They said I was dead," he said.
Carter, 63, went to see why the power had gone out in his neighborhood on Monday around 4:30 p.m. when he was shocked.
A truck struck an electrical pole on South King Drive near 79 th Street. The pole fell into the alley, knocking down power lines. Those charged wires came in contact with an SUV parked in the alley. Carter was shocked when he touched the SUV.
"I walked past and in some kind of way, I just pointed at the truck and the next thing I know, wham, it shocked me. And I went down and into a seizure," Carter said. Carter does not remember touching the SUV, and Northwestern ER Doctor Rahul Khare said physical contact isn't necessary for electric shock.
"That car holds the amount of electricity that's in the power line or being even close to it will give you a shock. Most of the time when they are that high voltage being near it can conduct the electricity, so even if you're within two or three feet the electricity will jump to you and cause the shock," Dr. Khare said.
Injuries from electric shock can include severe burns and muscle, heart and liver damage.
"For the most part, we don't see a high death rate from them. So that's the good news," Dr. Khare said. "It is a jolt and can do damage to what happens right then and there."
Carter was taken to Advocate Christy Medical Center in Oak Lawn in critical condition on Monday, but released on Tuesday with no apparent side effects.
"I'm just grateful I'm still alive," Carter said.
