A Clackamas County Sheriff's deputy and a bystander helped rescue the driver of a tow truck from a crash while another vehicle was fully engulfed in fire.
The crash happened June 18 on Highway 224 near Southeast Dale Lane, east of Barton.
A preliminary investigation found that a red 1992 Ford F150 pickup was traveling eastbound when for it crossed into the westbound lane and collided head-on with a white 2014 Dodge Ram tow truck.
A witness driving an uninvolved car called 911 and told authorities the red Ford pickup had been tailgating the witness driver, and had passed the witness driver just prior to colliding head-on with the tow truck.
The Dodge Ram tow truck was operated by 56-year-old Gary Smith, of Portland. Smith was accompanied by a passenger, 48-year-old Jennifer Sampson, of Vancouver.
The operator of the red Ford pickup -- 59-year-old Kelly Ann Mumby, of Estacada -- sustained fatal injuries in the crash and was pronounced deceased.
When a Sheriff's Office deputy arrived at the crash scene, Mumby's red pickup was fully engulfed in flames -- and both vehicles were spilling fluids. Bystanders told the deputy the driver of the tow truck was still pinned in the vehicle.
The deputy found driver Gary Smith pinned in the vehicle by the dashboard. The tow-truck driver told the deputy his leg was broken and that he was unable to get out of the truck.
Meanwhile, as seen in the above-linked video, the fire from Mumby's pickup was encroaching on the tow truck.
The deputy acted fast. He pulled Smith to the passenger side and extricated him from the truck. With the help of a bystander, the deputy carried Smith about 25 yards away from the truck, laid him on the ground, and supported his neck.
A few minutes later, fire personnel arrived and extinguished the fire.
AMR arrived and gave Smith medical treatment. He was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.
Tow-truck passenger Sampson was also transported by ground ambulance to Legacy Emanuel with serious injuries.