GARYVILLE, La. — Good Samaritans in Louisiana are being hailed as heroes after rescuing a woman from her car that became engulfed in flames after police said it was hit by a drunk driver Monday.
Four men endured whipping flames and intense heat to save the stranger in desperate need of help.
"She had seconds left. It was touch and go for a second. I really thought I was going to see that lady die," said Jeremy Zeringue, who helped rescue the trapped woman.
Zeringue, 24, had his Monday morning commute transformed into a heroic rescue, jumping into action moments after the devastating crash in the town of Garyville.
"(The truck) hit her hard enough to shove her under the dump truck. That's when both of them caught on fire," said Zeringue.
Police said the victim, a 41-year-old woman from the town of Prairieville, stopped at a traffic light and was rear-ended by a drunk driver at high-speed just after sunrise.
Using a fire extinguisher, rescuers broke the driver's side window and suffered burns but were able to pull the woman out.
"It burned one guy's face and his eye, so I put my hood on because it was heating my face up. Basically when we broke the glass, (the fire) was in her backseat already," Zeringue.
"That's heroism right there," said Anita Haley, who recorded video of the rescue.
Haley recorded the video from her car as the heroic efforts took place to save the driver.
"I was on the opposite side of the street, on the shoulder, (and) I could feel the heat. Imagine what they felt?" said Haley.
After the rescue, the woman was transported to an area hospital with moderate injuries, along with the man, Richard Preston, 22, who is accused of rear-ending her.
Preston was released from the hospital Monday and booked into jail on charges of DWI and felony negligence.
As for the rescuers, Haley said there is an even greater title they deserve than just Good Samaritan.
"When I saw how he was frustrated and trying to get the window burst, and trying to get her out of there, I was like, I need to video this. People need to see that there are still modern-day heroes out here," said Haley.
Zeringue said he is just happy there were others there to help him.
"I don't know any of them, but I couldn't have done it without them," said Zeringue.
The people in Haley's video weren't the only Good Samaritans at the scene.
There were also several people who carried the man accused of causing the wreck inside a nearby business after he leaped out of his vehicle into the ditch.