Park Ridge honors good Samaritans who saved Mount Prospect man

Park Ridge officials Monday night honored the emergency responders and good Samaritans credited with saving the life of a Mount Prospect man earlier this year after he suffered a heart attack while behind the wheel of his car.

Jim Maglieri, 56, didn't have a pulse when rescuers pulled him from his vehicle March 20 after it crashed near the intersection of Talcott Road and Devon Avenue. Fast work by witnesses and emergency responders revived Maglieri, who later had open-heart surgery at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital and is now recovering.

According to Park Ridge police, witness Richard Rajnoha tried to remove Maglieri from the vehicle, but was unable to get the doors open. Rajnoha used a hammer from his car to smash a window on Maglieri's vehicle.

Another witness, Izabela Siegien, performed chest compressions. Firdous Afreen called 911. And Scott Troogstad, an off-duty member of the Chicago Fire Department, lent his expertise to the lifesaving efforts, police said.

“It's pretty remarkable how many people rushed in to help,” Park Ridge Deputy Police Chief Lou Jogmen said.

When Park Ridge police Officers Robert Evans and Michael Luehr arrived, they deployed an automated external defibrillator that was in Luehr's squad car.

“Having the (defibrillator) really helped,” Evans said. “In those kinds of situations, every second counts.”