Bystanders help save man from burning car in Riverton

RIVERTON — A man is in critical condition after bystanders pulled him from his burning car early Monday morning.

Unified Police said a man was driving west, along 12600 South in Riverton, when his car veered across oncoming lanes and smashed into a tree near 1300 West. The car then began to burn. A passing driver stopped and tried to wave down other drivers to help. Stephanie Dickey saw the woman and pulled over.

“The entire front of the car was just in flames, probably six to eight feet high,” Dickey said.

When Dickey realized there was someone in the car, she knew she had to do something.

“Your instinct takes over and you do what you have to do,” she said. “I also had my family in the back of my mind. I thought, ‘If I get close enough to this car that something happens, then what’s my family going to do?’ But at the same time, you can’t just watch someone and not help them.”

Dickey said she could hear the man inside making noises, then the first woman who stopped helped him through the passenger side window.

“She ran up and grabbed him and helped him fall on the ground and then we pulled him back from the car,” she said. “Part of his sleeve was starting to burn and his pants had started to smoke. When he was on the ground, we were trying to get him to roll to put out the fire.”

Emergency crews rushed the man to the hospital where he is in critical condition. Dickey said she was shocked that some other drivers passed by without helping.

“It’s astounding to me that nobody stopped,” Dickey said. “I mean, it’s the middle of the night and someone obviously needed help. I don’t understand why you wouldn’t stop and help.”

Investigators have not said what they believe caused the crash.