Two men are being hailed as heroes for putting themselves at risk to rescue a woman who had a seizure while driving in Minnesota on Tuesday.
Ailing Motorist Runs Red Light
The incident began around 4 p.m. on Cliff Road in Eagan when several people noticed a car driving through a red light and then continuing down the road at a slow rate of speed.
Forty-nine year old motorist Richard Gilson parked his vehicle and followed the out of control car on foot.
Gilson followed the car for a few blocks, banging on the window, but was unable to stop the out of control driver. He said that he was worried that the car was headed straight for a nearby pond.
Box Truck Driver Crashes Into Car To Keep Unresponsive Driver Out Of Pond
Sixty-five year old box truck driver Daniel Heim also saw the car run the red light as it pulled out in front of him at the intersection. Police say that Heim made a U-turn and pulled up alongside the car, then crashed the box truck into the car to bring it to a halt.
Then Heim got out of his truck, and seeing the motorist unresponsive in her car, used a piece of steel from his truck to break out the back window so that they could put the car in park.
Gilson and Heim stayed with the woman until paramedics arrived.
Rescuers Nominated For City Award
The woman, 57 year old Tamara O’Tool, was transported to the hospital and was later released. She issued a statement thanking the men who saved her, “I am extremely grateful for their intervention and for the assistance of the police and paramedics.”
Heim admits that he has “no experience running into vehicles intentionally,” but says he would do it again if he had to.
Both Gilson and Heim will be nominated for the Eagan Police Department’s Outstanding Citizen Award.
Sources:
CBS Minnesota
Eagan Patch
KSTP
Minneapolis Star Tribune