A Calaveras County man is being called a hero Friday by highway patrol officers.
CHP says Campo Seco Road resident John Ruoff heard a crash just before 8 a.m. this morning and drove to the scene to assist 27 year-old Frazier Park resident Shane Redding. Officers say Redding lost control of his ´91 chevy on a curve along Campo Seco Road near Valley Springs. The vehicle ran off the roadway south of Buckboard Lane, took out about 400 feet of barbed wire fencing before crashing to a stop.
As Ruoff arrived, the Chevy burst into flames. The crash jammed both doors and the windows would not roll down.
Officers say Ruoff pulled a tire iron from his pick-up, broke out the windows freeing the driver and saving his life.
When emergency crews arrived, the vehicle was fully engulfed in flames. The driver suffered minor injuries.
This post was last modified on 01/31/2009 4:48 pm