A traffic crash victim left trapped under a car by the wreck is alive and recovering, thanks to the quick actions of a stranger and a couple of deputies.

  • Crash occurred on SR 44 in Inverness
  • 2 deputies, resident helped to move car enough to free passenger
  • Passenger air-lifted from scene with serious injuries

It happened on State Road 44 near South Cove Walk Sunday night. Cathy Knecht and her husband were awakened by the sound of the impact.

"My husband got up and looked. We didn't see anything. We got back into bed and maybe 5-7 minutes later someone's banging on our door," Cathy explained.

One of the people in the car had been ejected after impact and was looking for help. The other person in the car was pinned down under it and couldn't get out.

"I called 911, I stayed on the phone with 911. My husband and the gentleman that got ejected from the car put pressure on a stick to sort of hold the car up until the Deputy got there," Cathy said.

Within minutes, Citrus County Deputy Thomas Indorato was on scene and called for help.

"I just remember the adrenaline going trying to pick it up making sure the victim was ok and just reassuring to him hey we're working on it we're trying to get the car off," Indorato explained.

Deputy Jericho McIntire arrived minutes later. The two deputies, along with Knecht's husband and the man that was ejected, were all able to get the other man out from under the car.

"The civilians definitely helped out a lot -- whatever they were doing to assist the victim at the time before we got on scene, we really are appreciative that they were there to help and reassure that victim that we were coming," Indorato said.

And for Cathy and her husband, it's a night they won't soon forget.

"It was scary," Cathy said. "My husband when we come home it really got to him. It took him a while to go back to sleep,” Cathy said.

Elyssa Hernandez, the wife of the man rescued from under the car, told us she's so thankful to everyone who helped and knows that without them her husband may not have survived.

The Citrus County Sheriff's Office said the man trapped under the car had severe injuries and was air lifted from the scene. The man ejected from the car was taken to Citrus Memorial with non-life threatening injuries.