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MERCED COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Courage and strength: that's what CHP officers Bernavet Mendez Padilla and Christian Ramirez utilized arsenic they worked to prevention a antheral trapped successful a car aft a head-on clang successful Merced County past month.
"We person a pin in, beryllium advised, it's a reddish sedan that overturned successful the canal. Law enforcement is connected country trying to entree the patient," exigency unit said implicit scanner traffic.
"The lone happening connected my caput was we person to prevention this guy; we person to assistance him, he's evidently successful dire need," CHP Ofc. Bernavet Mendez Padilla said.
The clang happened astatine astir 3:30 a.m. connected May 11th connected State Route 165 conscionable northbound of Santa Fe Grade.
CHP says 2 radical successful a reddish Toyota Corolla crossed into oncoming postulation and crashed head-on into a achromatic Toyota Corolla.
At first, the officers lone saw the achromatic Corolla.
"While evaluating the operator for injuries, I overheard different antheral saying 'Ayuda, ayuda', assistance successful Spanish," Officer Mendez Padilla recalled.
The reddish corolla overturned into a canal.
The driver-- 22-year-old Jaime Robert Gomez Villanueva-- suspected of DUI, died astatine the scene, but the rider was inactive alive.
"When I located him, the lone happening I was capable to spot with my flashlight was his look sticking retired of the water," Ofc. Mendez Padilla explained.
Officer Mendez Padilla utilized his Marine Corps and CHP grooming to instrumentality enactment and jumped into the water.
"I faced toward the car, got connected my backmost successful the water, and I was capable to propulsion him similar a squat," helium said arsenic helium demonstrated.
He says the antheral walked distant with insignificant injuries.
"After I chopped the seatbelt and pulled him out, helium said, 'Thank you. You saved my life. I'll ne'er hide this day,'" helium stated.
He says that the seatbelt saved the man's life.
The operator of the different conveyance is besides expected to beryllium okay.
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