Scott E. Teuscher helped to rescue Amy L. Stapleton-Horn from burning, Grass Valley, California, July 12, 2012. Unconscious, Stapleton-Horn, 37, remained in the driver’s seat of her car after an accident in which the vehicle struck an oncoming tractor-trailer in the vicinity of its fuel tanks. The tanks burst into flame, setting fire to the tractor and its flatbed trailer, the car coming to rest in close proximity to the flames. Motorists, including Teuscher, 35, courier, stopped at the scene. Despite the growing and advancing flames, Teuscher went to the driver’s side of Stapleton-Horn’s car, opened the front door, and, leaning inside, unfastened her safety belt. As he began to pull her out, another motorist joined him and helped take her from the vehicle and carry her across the highway to safety. An explosion at the tractor-trailer sent flames to the car, and both vehicles were shortly engulfed, with flames spreading to the trees and grass along the highway. Stapleton-Horn required extensive hospitalization for treatment of serious injuries, including burns of up to third-degree.
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