Know who this Turlock ‘good Samaritan’ is? Police still looking for car fire rescuer
The Turlock Police Department has yet to identify the rescuer who pulled a man out of a burning car last week, a spokesman said Tuesday.
Detectives would like to talk with the rescuer to investigate the incident, and Sgt. Michael Parmley said there were no updates on the case as of Tuesday afternoon.
A video shows the rescuer make several attempts to pull a man out of the back seat of a burning vehicle on the 200 block of D Street at about 12:10 a.m. Thursday. After rescuing him through the car’s rear hatch, police said, the person left the scene. Witnesses reported the fire after hearing tires pop from the heat.
Firefighters found the burned man in a nearby alley and controlled the blaze, police said. The burn victim was in critical condition Thursday afternoon, and Parmley said no updates were available Tuesday. Police are not releasing the victim’s name at this time, he added.
“If this good Samaritan had not helped when they did, our investigation would look very different,” Detective Brandon Bertram said in a Thursday news release.
The cause of the fire has not been determined. The point person for the fire investigation is also the lead investigator for the recent homicide of a 2-month-old girl, Parmley said. Multiple police investigators are working on both cases, Parmley said. The Stanislaus Regional Fire Investigation Unit also has at least one person on the fire case.
People with information can reach Bertram at 209-664-7323. They also can contact the Tip Line at 209-668-5550, ext. 6780, or tpdtipline@turlock.ca.us. Callers can also leave an anonymous tip at 209-521-4636 and may be eligible for a cash reward through Crime Stoppers.
This story was originally published April 20, 2022 at 8:06 AM.
