LOCAL HERO: Bystander saves life by pulling driver from burning car

Jeremy Price saved a young man’s life last Wednesday evening when he pulled the driver out of the wreckage of a burning car.

Late in the evening around 11:00 PM, Jeremy Price, a tow truck driver for Woody Anderson Ford, was finishing up a job returning from picking up a wrecked vehicle, but as he traveled down Capshaw Road, he was called by God to another job. Near the Jeff Road intersection, Price witnessed an airborne vehicle, flipping, and landing on the passenger side.

Price rushed towards the smoke-filled car and discovered the driver, a young man in his early twenties, was entangled in the vehicle. “When I saw flames coming from the engine, I knew there was no time to spare,” said Price. “It looked like a tunnel.” Priced climbed through the rear window of the vehicle and began untangling the young man wedged between the center console.

“The driver was very disoriented, making the job even more difficult,” said Price. “The clock was ticking in my head, and as the flames grew, I knew time was running out.” In about 45 seconds, Price managed to remove the young man through the back window of the mangled vehicle.

Price’s heroic efforts didn’t stop at just saving the driver. He then ran to his truck and retrieved a fire extinguisher and began trying to put out the growing flames. Shortly after that, the Monrovia Fire Department was on the scene.

“I couldn’t just stand there and watch someone burn up,” said Price when asked what was going through his head. “I was just trying to do something I’d want someone to do for me if I was in a burning car.”

Earlier in the evening, when Price got the call to retrieve the wrecked vehicle, he hoped it was closer to his house, but now he feels that God put him on that job for a reason.

It’s likely that if Price hadn’t acted that the driver would have perished. Keith Atkins of Monrovia Fire Department, who was at the scene, said, “I don’t know if you realize how rare this is. People don’t normally do this type of thing.”

“I’m in awe of Jeremy’s actions, he showed true heroism, urgency, and attention to detail,” said Cathy Anderson, Owner of Woody Anderson Ford. “Jeremy will be receiving special recognition over the coming days.”

There were no passengers involved in the single-vehicle wreck.

Investigative Reporters: Pam Boysen Wing & Garrett Coyne

About Woody Anderson Ford

Since 1961, Woody Anderson Ford, with locations in Huntsville and Madison, has served the North Alabama community by providing retail and commercial sales, maintenance, collision center, vehicle rentals, and is home to Henry’s Mustang Cafe. The dealership was recently recognized as the largest volume Ford dealership in Alabama, in addition to being named one of the top 100 Ford dealerships out of 3,800 in the country. WAF leads the industry with its nationally recognized core values system: Integrity, Personal Growth, Urgency, Team Work, Attention To Detail, Accountability, & Fun. Woody Anderson’s more than 240 employees are dedicated to delivering the best consumer experience and products in the country, and to leaving the world better than we found it.