Woman rescued after being trapped 4 days in mangled vehicle on Mt. Baldy

MT. BALDY, Calif. (KABC) -- A woman trapped for four days inside her crumpled Ford Ranger off the side of Mt. Baldy Road is alive thanks to a good Samaritan.

"There was an aircraft flying way up high and I think she was desperately trying to wave her hands or something and she yelled, yelling for help and that is when I heard her," said Chris Ayres.

On Sunday afternoon, Ayres was near a trail leading to San Antonio creek where he planned to do some fishing when he heard the cries for help.

"She yelled again help and I said hello are you there? And she said yes can you please call 911 I've been here for days. And I couldn't believe what I was hearing," he said.

Ayres says the victim although visibly injured was standing inside her mangled vehicle but was unable to get out on her own.

"She asked for water of course so I immediately got her some water."

Despite the lack of water and chilly temperatures, the victim had managed to survive for four days alone in her truck after tumbling more than 100 feet from the road when she swerved to avoid hitting a deer on Wednesday evening.

Her truck landed in brush which hid her from view.

"She didn't think she was going to make it another night. She said she was preparing her bed for that night. She just said she didn't think she was going to make it," recalled Ayres.

Ayres called 911 twice but had poor reception. He hiked up to the roadway to flag down help.

He said an ambulance drove by but didn't stop.

"Me and a gentlemen we heard another siren coming. So, we got on the road and flagged them down and I think it was a Forest Service truck. They pulled over and they asked us why did we flag them down," he said.

Ayres led rescuers to the victim who was treated on the scene and then hoisted out by a LA County Fire Department helicopter.

First responders credit the victim's survival to blankets she had with her.

"It probably helped her out a lot because it was very cold up there. It might be a completely different circumstance if she didn't have anything to keep her warm at night," said LA County Fire Captain Ian Thrall.

Ayres also believes he was meant to find the victim by choosing the trail that led to her.

"Being at the right place at the right time... it just can't be by chance," said Ayres.

The victim is reportedly in stable condition recovering at a hospital.