Good Samaritans save Victorville man from burning car

VICTORVILLE, Calif. (KABC) -- A man and two other people in the Inland Empire are being hailed as heroes after they helped pull a man from a burning car.

Early Friday morning, a car crashed into a pole in Victorville and burst into flames while the driver was unconscious in the wreckage.

Daniel Reyes was one of three people who helped pull Brenda Johnson's son, 27-year-old Jersuan Gibson, from the burning car.

"I felt the flames. I smelled the smoke, but my concern was getting him out because he was out cold," Reyes said.

On Wednesday, Johnson met with Reyes to thank him for his heroic efforts.

But Reyes said he didn't do it alone. When he had arrived on the scene, another man was already trying to help.

Reyes said there were a combination of events that placed him at the scene at the exact time he was needed, but he said it's what his company had just installed in his work truck that made all the difference.

"The thing about that is that they had barely put that fire extinguisher in the van when I requested for it and they put it in there," he said. "If I had not had that fire extinguisher, the fire would have been out of control."

While the fire extinguisher only held back the flames for a short time, it was enough for the two Good Samaritans to grab Gibson and try to pull him out. But Gibson's legs were pinned under the dash and it wasn't until San Bernardino County sheriff's Deputy Asiah Medawar arrived that they were able to get Gibson to safety.

Johnson said her son suffered burns to his hands and a broken hip, leg and ankles, but she is thankful the trio were able to pull her son out in time.

"I appreciate it, what all that they did for my son. I am so blessed. I am so blessed because without them then my son wouldn't be here today," she said.

Johnson and her family met with Medawar Wednesday evening to thank him as well.