Quick action by a Good Samaritan on Sept. 6 is being credited with saving the life of a crash victim in Rocky Mount.
Shortly after 7 a.m., the Nash County 911 Communication Center began receiving reports of an overturned vehicle with a person being trapped in a ditch and that the vehicle was in the water. Stony Creek Rescue Truck 3R was dispatched with Nash EMS Unit 9. Additional callers to Rocky Mount 911 increased the assignment with Engine 4, Rescues 1 and 2 and Battalion Chief 2.
Good Samaritan Enoc Ramircz had just left the Oaks Mobile Park for work when he noticed another motorist jump out of his vehicle and was pointing toward the creek. Witnesses said, that Ramircz ran down to the creek and saw that the victim was pinned inside his vehicle which was partially submerged in the water. He waded into the creek and he could hear the man moaning for help. He tried to open the drivers side of the door but it was heavily damaged. The back door could not open so he made his way around to the passenger side and was able to open that door.
He found the victim laying on the floor of the water-filled vehicle. He was unable to remove him due to both of his legs being trapped under the dash and the brake pedal. He was able to lift the man's head above the water as he could hear the sirens from the units responding.
Stony Creek Rescue 3R was the first unit on location and Safety Officer Linny Pridgen reported that he had a person trapped.
Rocky Mount Engine 4 was now arriving and two of their personnel donned life jackets to assist Rescue 3R with hooking up a chain winch to the rear of the submerged vehicle to stabilize the it.
Rocky Mount firefighters Danny Witherington and Michael Stringer made their way to the victim, who was being held by the civilian. while other firefighters were worked to open the doors. At that point, Ramircz left the scene.
Two Jaws of Life were put into service removing the B post and door on the passenger side and popping the door on the drivers side which was heavily damaged on the impact. Firefighter Stringer was able to enter the driver's side and free the man's leg which was heavily pinned under the brake pedal.
The patient was placed into a Stokes Basket and was removed up the embankment to the road level. He was loaded into Nash County EMS 9 and reported to be in very bad condition. It was decided that the victim would be removed by air to the Trauma Center in Greenville.
Rocky Mount Engine Co. 6 was dispatched to set up the landing zone at Engine 4's station.
According to Rocky Mount Fire Captain Summerlin, it appears that the victim was driving northbound on Peele Road and lost control of his vehicle, which careened off the road and traveled some distance. It possibly struck an object and went airborne, flipping over and landing partially into the embankment, now facing southbound. The impact heavily damaged the drivers side door and roof of the vehicle and trapping the driver.
It was a lucky day for both of them.
