Watch CBS News

Video shows Utah trooper saving unconscious driver from oncoming train

Utah trooper saves man from oncoming train
Utah trooper rescues man from oncoming train 01:05

A Utah Highway Patrol trooper is being hailed as a hero after dashcam video shows the moment he rescued a driver from an oncoming train with just seconds to spare. Trooper Ruben Correa was on a traffic stop when he got a call about a car that had driven onto the train tracks.

The dashcam video begins after Correa arrived on the scene and shows him scrambling up an embankment to the SUV, which had an unconscious man inside. In the distance, you can see the light from the train grow larger as it gets closer to Correa and the driver.

"At that point, I actually wasn't really thinking. I was just doing my job and my main concern was getting him out of the vehicle," Correa said.

In the video, Correa's voice grows more urgent as he pulled the man out. A split second later, both men escaped disaster.

"The vehicle flew about 30 feet in front of us, and that's when I realized 'Oh wow,' that's a lot closer than what I would've liked," Correa said.

The driver ended up on the tracks after he experienced a medical emergency, which caused him to fall unconscious. After he was pulled from the car by Correa, the driver was checked out at the scene and is expected to be OK.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.