Heroes Pull 2 Injured From Fiery, Rollover Crash In San Leandro

SAN LEANDRO, CA — A crowd of heroes came together on Wednesday of last week to save the lives of two people injured in a fiery rollover crash in San Leandro — some were in uniforms, while the others were simply citizens who put their own safety on the line to help others.

According to the San Leandro Police Department, a big rig truck and a 2001 Ford Ranger pickup collided in the intersection of Davis Street and Doolittle Drive at around 9:40 a.m. The pickup rolled over, ejecting one person. The driver and another passenger were still in the pickup when the first police officer at the scene, Kenny Shedd, arrived.

The pickup Came to rest on the driver's door. According to a release from SLPD, "Officer Shedd saw that the passenger’s upper body was still in the vehicle while his lower extremities were hanging outside the front passenger window. Officer Shedd also noticed that the driver of the Ford was trapped inside, dazed, and unable to exit because his passenger was blocking the only exit – the front passenger door window."

The truck was also smoking, and erupted in flames as Kenny Shedd approached the pickup. "As the fire began to engulf the vehicle, Officer Shedd and unknown good Samaritans, with disregard for their own safety, jumped up onto the passenger side of the Ford and pulled the passenger from the vehicle."

While another good Samaritan sprayed a fire extinguisher on the pickup the keep the flames from engulfing the cab, Shedd tried to pull out the still-dazed driver.

That's when Alameda County firefighters arrived and successfully extricated the driver from the Ford and put out the fire.

Remarkably, the two people pulled from the pickup were treated at local hospitals and released. Police Lt. Ted Henderson is heaping credit on all who participated in the rescue, “This was a great team effort by our citizens and our first responders. If it were not for the quick thinking and actions by Officer Shedd, the good Samaritans that helped him, and our Alameda County emergency personnel more than likely both occupants would have sustained more severe injuries.”

The crash is still under investigation, but speed and an unsafe lane change by the Ford are being scrutinized.