Watch: Good Samaritans pull man out of burning car, save his life
Aurora police are hailing two local men as heroes after they rescued a Warrenville resident from his car following a fiery single-car crash early Saturday morning.
Police said they arrived at 12:12 a.m. to find Jose Martinez, 58, pulling the injured 34-year-old Warrenville man from his burning vehicle. Martinez lives across the street from the crash site.
A second Aurora resident, Devin Johnson, 29, then pulled the crash victim farther back from the burning vehicle.
Their actions were captured on the dash cameras of the first squads to arrive and that video was made public Wednesday morning.
Police said the driver, Anselmo Baca-Vazquez, struck another car near New York and Farnsworth avenues and fled. The driver of that car followed Baca-Vazquez to the 1600 block of E. New York Street, where Baca-Vazquez hit a concrete support for a drainage pipe and his car burst into flames.
"My wife and I had just returned home from dinner and a night out when we heard the loudest boom," Martinez said. "I ran outside and the woman he had rear-ended earlier told me he was still in the car."
Martinez said the car was "unbelievably hot," but he opened the passenger door and saw Baca-Vazquez slouched over the passenger seat.
"He was out cold," Martinez said. "If that lady hadn't told me he was in the car, he would have died for sure."
Baca-Vazquez suffered burns and other injuries and was treated at a nearby hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening. He was charged with DUI and several traffic offenses.
Martinez said he doesn't think he's a hero.
"Once I knew he was there, I couldn't just leave him there," he said. "I think anyone else who's human would have done the same thing."
"It all happened so fast."
Police, however, are hailing both men as heroes.
"To say Jose's actions were heroic and brave is an understatement. Had he not taken immediate action, the driver would not have lived," police spokesman Dan Ferrelli said Wednesday. "Devin should also be commended for assuring the man was out of harm's way."