An SUV crashed into a canal and caught fire. What these Modesto, Stanislaus workers did
Two Modesto city employees and a Stanislaus County employee will be honored for helping rescue three men trapped in a sport utility vehicle that had crashed into an irrigation canal. The SUV landed on its side, and its engine compartment caught on fire.
There was about a foot of water in the canal, and one of the men was unconscious with his head halfway in the water, according to a report of the February accident from Modesto Fire Department Capt. Jim Black, who is assigned to Fire Station No. 10 in south Modesto.
Black wrote that the city and county workers put out the fire.
County Parks & Recreation worker Brandon Ashford said he was following the SUV — a 1999 Dodge Durango — on Hatch Road when it swerved and crashed into the canal.
“It happened right in front of me,” Ashford said in an interview Monday, adding he called 911 as he got out of his work truck and was the first person at the accident scene. “I could see they needed help right then.”
The wreck happened around 11 a.m. on Feb. 19. The CHP said Modesto resident Javier Villalucatero, 20, was driving the Durango on Hatch Road near Boulder Avenue at about 50 mph when for an unknown reason he turned to the right and then turned to the left.
The SUV then hit a curb, plowed through the canal fence and crashed into the canal at Hatch and Boulder. The irrigation canal runs parallel to Hatch and flows underground where Boulder meets Hatch.
The CHP said Villalucatero and his two male passengers had minor injuries and complained of pain and were taken to the hospital.
“Prior to our arrival, Justin Hiti and Jeremy Camacho of the City of Modesto’s utilities division as well as Brandon Ashford of the Stan County Parks dept stopped to help rescue the three people trapped in the car,” Black, the Station No. 10 fire captain, wrote in his report.
“They used a fire extinguisher to put out a fire that had started in the engine compartment and also extricated all three occupants of which one was unconscious with his head halfway under water. By the time we arrived all three were standing on the back of the canal.”
City Council to honor workers
Hiti and Camacho declined a request made through the city for an interview. But Ashford said as he worked to free the driver and passengers the engine compartment caught on fire. He said one of the city employees grabbed a fire extinguisher and put it out.
Ashford said he recalls the two city workers as well as other bystanders helping rescue the passengers.
The agenda for Tuesday’s City Council meeting includes honoring Camacho and Hiti. But Fire Chief Alan Ernst said Monday he had requested that the two employees not be honored at the meeting.
He said he plans on honoring them and presenting each with a plaque in a private ceremony. Ernst said he made that decision because the two men declined to be interviewed and he did not have confirmation they would be at Tuesday’s council meeting.
Ernst said not all city employees are comfortable in the spotlight. He said the important thing is that the city recognize its employees, and it does not matter whether that is in public or private.
City Clerk Stephanie Lopez said in an email later Monday that Mayor Sue Zwahlen said Tuesday’s agenda will include recognizing the two Utilities Department employees.
Went right back to work after rescue
The City Council agenda does not include honoring Ashford, but Ernst said he plans to work with the county to honor him.
Ashford said he called his girlfriend and a friend after the rescue, telling them they would not believe what he was about to tell them. He said he then went back to work and did not tell the county. County officials learned about Ashford’s actions Monday after The Bee forwarded them Black’s report.
“I just did what I needed to do,” Ashford said. “I didn’t want recognition. I didn’t even tell my boss. She called me today and said, ‘Do you want to tell me about this accident in February?’ ... I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. I would hope someone would do it for me if it was me in that car. Do you know what I mean?”
County Parks and Recreation Director Jackie Dwyer issued a statement saying she and her department “are incredibly proud” of Ashford for his actions that day.
This story was originally published April 13, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
