Aurora police and firefighter/paramedics responded about 12:12 a.m. Saturday, March 31, 2018, to a report of a crash in the block of 1600 East New York Street.
The first patrol car on-scene with a dashcam activated captured the rescue of an unconscious crash victim by an Aurora resident. Jose Martinez, age 57, who lives across the street from the crash location, pulled the man out of the burning car, just as the first police patrol officer arrived. A second citizen, Devin Johnson, 29, also of Aurora, then pulled the crash victim further away from the burning vehicle.
The 34 year-old male driver of the crashed car suffered burns and other injuries and was transported to a suburban Chicago hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. Later the male driver was charged with DUI and several other traffic offenses.
To say Jose’s actions were heroic and brave are an understatement. Had he not taken immediate action, the driver would not have lived. Devin should also be commended for assuring the man was out of harm’s way. Outstanding job, gentlemen.
We’d also like to thanks Joel Olvera, 25 from Aurora, who also assisted at the scene.
— Aurora Police Department
Police on the scene also inspected the vehicle for the possibility of additional crash victims, and used a fire extinguisher to knock down flames enough so that the vehicle could be inspected for any possible additional victims. A police officer used a baton to break a rear window and open a locked car door. The police officer then searched the floor of the back seat of the car, using a flashlight to illuminate the space below the smoke ceiling inside the car.
Aurora firefighters then extinguished the fire, and confirmed no other crash victims were in the car.
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