Mesquite Police Officers Rescue Driver From Burning SUV

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Dramatic Scene Caught on Police Dash Camera 

Two Mesquite police officers heroically rescued a 25 year-old man from a burning vehicle on Sunday. The dramatic scene was caught on the police vehicle’s dash cam. 

Officers Ryan Nielson and Autumn Soto responded to a call regarding a single-vehicle crash on Interstate 30 early Sunday morning. They arrived to find the SUV in flames with the unconscious driver trapped inside. With no time to spare, the officers jumped into action. The video shows them bolt to the burning vehicle and pull the man to safety as flames shoot from the hood and cabin of the SUV. 

The officers’ quick thinking saved Hector Valles’s life; his clothes had already caught fire when they reached him. Mr. Valles’s family said he is currently being treated for burns and multiple fractures. 

Viral Photo Shows Good Samaritan Saving Man In Dangling-Off-Cliff SUV

This week’s viral video comes on the heels of a photo released last week of a good Samaritan pulling a stranger from his wrecked SUV. The vehicle dangled precariously from a cliff, supported only by a chain link fence. Jason Warnock ran up the embankment to the GMC Yukon and found 23-year-old Matthew Sitko trapped inside. Mr. Warnock used a tool to crack the window and pull the terrified man to safety. Then the hero disappeared. Eventually, somebody identified the man from the famous picture. Mr. Warnock told CNN in an interview: “I don’t feel like I deserve any credit or anything… I just did what anyone would do, went right back to work.”

Tips for Good Samaritans 

These viral images inspire us all to help victims. However, your good intentions can have serious consequences. Moving a severely injured victim can result in worse injuries if you do not have the training or tools to do so correctly. You may even be held liable for injuries tied to your actions. Attorney William Bradley explains in an article in Road & Travel magazine: “The foremost question the good Samaritan should ask is, ‘can I leave this accident victim better or in at least the same condition as I found him?” 

In addition, you can put yourself in harms way while helping the car crash victim. For example, you may want to alert traffic about the accident to avoid further collisions. However, experts recommend pulling off the road and turning on your hazard lights. You risk being hit if you stand in moving traffic lanes to flag traffic. 

Accident experts suggest pausing for a few seconds to evaluate the crash scene and determine what needs to be done first. In many cases, calling 911 is the best thing you can do to help.

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