Santa Ana mom, baby rescued from fiery crash; dad arrested
SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- A mother and her 9-month-old baby were rescued from a burning vehicle in Santa Ana Monday, and the father has been placed under arrest.
Authorities say California Highway Patrol officers observed a fire near the northbound State Route 55 off-ramp to Seventeenth Street at 3:53 a.m. They quickly realized that an SUV was on fire, and people were still inside.
Two officers immediately rushed over and pulled a 22-year-old woman and her child from the vehicle before it became fully engulfed in flames. The woman had been stuck in the front passenger seat, and the child was face down on the floor of the backseat.
"Flames were about 15-20 feet high. It was extraordinarily hot trying to reach in there," said CHP Officer Timothy Montoya, who was one of the first CHP officers on scene.
A 22-year-old man, identified as Leonardo Morales of Santa Ana, was already out of the vehicle with a 2-year-old child.
Morales was seen "lying on the ground with a male toddler crying and pointing at the Chevrolet," CHP said in a news release.
Investigators say Morales was driving his 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe northbound on the Seventeenth Street off-ramp when he lost control at a curve in the roadway. The Tahoe went off the roadway and slammed into a tree.
"First, I get the infant out, rush her to safety away from the vehicle," Montoya said. "I turned back toward the burning vehicle, helped my partner get the other female out."
The woman and the 9-month-old were rushed to area hospitals with major injuries, while the 2-year-old was taken to the hospital with moderate injuries.
Morales was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. He was taken to Western Medical Center with major injuries.
According to CHP, an officer suffered minor injuries while rescuing the family.
Authorities say no one had their seat belts on, and the children were not strapped in their car seats. In addition, police say Morales has a previous DUI arrest.
