Flames Didn't Intimidate Indiana Good Samaritan

Feb. 12--A brand new crosswalk signal was erected by Saturday afternoon on the northeast corner of Creighton Avenue and Clinton Street, but concrete rubble, shards of glass, pieces of plastic remained on Sunday, a reminder of an accident Friday night that left one man in critical condition and another a local hero.

According to a release, at about 9:30 Friday night, police and paramedics were called to the intersection and found an adult male suffering from injuries he sustained in an accident.

Chris A. Plew, 49, of New Haven, was the driver and sole occupant of a black Pontiac Aztec that struck a concrete wall before going airborne and landing across Creighton Avenue. The SUV was on fire when a neighbor who heard the crash approached the vehicle and pulled Plew to safety.

"It is believed at this time that had it not been for the immediate actions of the resident, the driver could have perished in the vehicle," said a statement from police.

Around 9:30 Friday night, 34-year-old Ryan Shatzer was getting ready to go to bed, as he had to work early Saturday morning. But before he could fall asleep, Shatzer said he heard a "tremendous" noise.

Shatzer was the resident who ran barefoot out of his first-floor apartment and rescued Plew.

"I hesitated at the intersection to make sure no one was coming, but I saw immediately that the car was on fire," he said. "There was no way anybody in that car was going to get out on their own."

Lucky for Plew, Shatzer isn't intimidated by the fire, as he works with it almost daily. He torches at Hoosier Metal for a living.

While witnesses stood watching, Shatzer ran to the burning vehicle and banged open the driver's side door. He said Plew wasn't wearing a seatbelt and fell half-way out of the car when he got the door open.

Shatzer said Plew's right side was on fire, so he dragged him about four feet from the vehicle and patted the fire out.

He said at that point he became out of breath from inhaling smoke, so he called to some of those watching to help.

The group pulled Plew farther from the vehicle while Shatzer ran back to his apartment to put his boots on.

Shatzer said Plew was combative, cursing and struggling to get free the whole time. He said it felt much longer than five minutes before police arrived.

As of Sunday, Plew remained in stable but critical condition. According to an updated news release, investigators believe speed to be a major factor and weather conditions a minor factor. Other factors that could have contributed to the crash remain under investigation.

On Sunday, Shatzer spoke matter-of-factly about his actions after the accident.

"Danger has never bothered me," he said while smoking a cigarette on his front porch, surveying the damage to the concrete wheelchair ramp next to the apartment. "I've always been able to trust my instincts."

Including the instinct to look both ways before crossing the street.

Copyright 2012 - The News-Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Ind.