A heroic sheriff's deputy in Washington state has been praised for his quick actions after pulling an injured mail truck driver to safety following a dramatic crash that caused the vehicle to burst into flames.
Dramatic Incident in Parkland
The terrifying collision occurred in early January at approximately 12:10pm in Parkland, located about 40 miles south of Seattle. The Pierce County Sheriff's Office released compelling body camera footage of the incident on Facebook this Thursday, providing a detailed account of the events.
According to official reports, the mail truck had collided with a white Toyota sedan, resulting in injuries to both the mail truck driver and a male passenger in the backseat of the sedan. The first deputy to arrive at the chaotic scene immediately recognised the grave danger facing the injured truck driver as flames began to engulf the vehicle.
Deputy Sir Carter's Brave Response
The Pierce County Sheriff's Office identified the responding deputy as Sir Carter. In the body camera footage released by authorities, Carter can be seen sprinting toward the burning mail truck with a fire extinguisher in hand.
'The deputy pulled him away from the burning vehicle before attempting to put out the fire with the help of a bystander,' the sheriff's office stated in their official account of the incident.
Carter had obtained the fire extinguisher from a female bystander who had stopped to offer assistance. The sheriff's office publicly thanked both this Good Samaritan and Central Pierce Fire for their roles in the emergency response.
Community Response and Identification
In the comments section of the body camera footage post on Facebook, a woman named Stephenie Biggs Mabee identified herself as the bystander who provided the crucial fire extinguisher.
'I was the female driver! I could not just drive by! Your very welcome! We always keep fire extinguishers in our vehicle. I could not just drive by and leave him in the mail truck, he was hurt and needed out before it went up in flames!' she wrote in her comment.
Later in the footage, Carter is seen checking on the injured truck driver, who had been moved from the vehicle but remained in serious condition, lying nearly motionless by the roadside. The video also shows the extensive damage to the white Toyota sedan involved in the crash, with its rear bumper and trunk completely mangled from the impact.
Firefighting Efforts and Hospitalisations
Despite Carter's valiant efforts with the small extinguisher, the blaze was only temporarily slowed. A fire engine from Central Pierce Fire eventually arrived on scene to fully extinguish the flames.
Both the injured mail truck driver and the sedan passenger were transported to local hospitals in serious condition. The Pierce County Sheriff's Office explained to the Daily Mail that privacy laws prevented them from providing updates on the victims' conditions, though they confirmed both individuals remained alive, as the department would have been notified of any subsequent fatalities.
Public Reaction and Safety Reminders
The Facebook comments section of the body camera footage post revealed an outpouring of community support and important safety discussions.
- Several commenters praised Mabee for her quick thinking and willingness to assist during the emergency.
- Many took the opportunity to emphasise the importance of keeping fire extinguishers in vehicles.
- Numerous well-wishes were expressed for those injured in the crash.
'A reminder too everyone to keep a fire extinguisher in your vehicle,' wrote one concerned citizen.
'Prayers for all involved, especially the mail carrier,' added another commenter.
A third observer noted, 'Holy smokes I seen the aftermath, so glad everyone is ok!'
The incident serves as a powerful reminder of both the dangers of road collisions and the importance of community assistance during emergencies. Deputy Carter's swift actions, combined with the assistance of a prepared bystander, likely prevented a far more tragic outcome from this serious traffic incident in Washington state.
