SAN ANTONIO – A fiery car crash is the last thing anyone wants to see on the commute to work, but instead of trying to get past on Monday morning, several strangers pulled over on Interstate 10 to see what they could do to help.
The crash happened around 2:30 a.m. Monday on I-10 East at Roland Avenue, according to San Antonio police.
Army veteran James Carlson said he was on his way to work when he saw the crash.
His first instinct was to check if the driver made it out of their vehicle.
“I saw the door of the truck, which was wedged up against the Jersey barriers, smacking the barrier,” Carlson said. “And immediately, I knew somebody was stuck in the truck.”
Carlson said he jumped into action, using his pocketknife to break the window.
“[The driver] was screaming for help,” Carlson said. “There was no way he was going to come out that door — the car was engulfed in flames.”
But Carlson wasn’t alone. He said a group of strangers gathered around to help.
Carlson said his 10 years of military experience kicked in during the crisis as he and another man helped the driver get out through the window.
“Another gentleman stopped on his motorcycle to help. Another guy that actually helped me pull the driver away from the truck, I didn’t even get his name, but he helped,” Carlson said, noting that a woman also tried to get the driver water.
Carlson said overall, the incident was “an emotional roller coaster.”
“It just brings up a lot of things from my time in the service,” he said.
Among the group, Carlson said there was no hesitation on whether or not to help.
“It’s a little over three years since we moved to San Antonio, and that’s one of the things we’ve loved,” Carlson said. “It’s the community and seeing people come together, no questions asked. Everybody knew something had to be done, so they got together, and we did it."
On Monday afternoon, the San Antonio Police Department said the man who was pulled from the burning truck was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.
Carlson said the group of strangers exemplifies what to do in an emergency.
“Think quick, still try to keep yourself as safe as you can while you’re doing it, but you can save somebody’s life," he said.
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