VIDEO: Footage shows head-on crash in Santa Ana, good Samaritans rushing to help

Wednesday, May 15, 2019
VIDEO: Surveillance footage shows head-on crash in Santa Ana
Dramatic surveillance video captured a violent head-on crash in Santa Ana that left two young men critically injured.

SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- Dramatic surveillance video shows the moment when a car flies head-on into a semi-truck, then flips onto its roof in Santa Ana, leaving two young men critically injured.

The wreck happened Monday around 12:30 p.m. at West McFadden Avenue and South Harbor Boulevard.

More than a dozen good Samaritans then rushed over and worked together to flip the car over.

The two men in the white Acura, both in their 20s, remain in critical condition.

Santa Ana police are still investigating exactly what led up to the crash. They say a truck struck the Acura as the driver tried to make a left turn into a store.

"We don't know if he had a green light, yellow, red. He clips the Acura who was eastbound on McFadden," said Cpl. Anthony Bertagna with Santa Ana police. This caused the Acura to flip and smash into the semi-truck. The driver of the semi was not injured.

The surveillance video then shows a mob of people running toward the accident. Witness Jacqueline Gutierrez said only the passenger of the Acura was conscious.

"I told him, 'Can you move?' He said, 'I only can move my hands. I don't feel my legs or the top of my...' I told him relax. I'm like, 'What happened?' Gutierrez said.

Then, the video shows the crowd working together to flip the Acura off its roof and back onto its tires. Though police say this can be extremely dangerous, they were amazed at these strangers' willingness to help.

"An impressive sight to see that mass of people quickly respond towards something like this," Bertagna said

Firefighters had to use heavy machinery to free the men, who are still hospitalized.