Man Lifts Car off Woman with Forklift after Crash

Police say citizens gave a woman a fighting chance to make it to the hospital.

Photo of forklift and crashed vehicle at crash scene Photo: Washington County Sheriff's Office

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Washington County Deputies responded to SW River Road south of SW Farmington Road on a reported roll-over crash Saturday morning at 10:23 AM. They say a woman injured and trapped in the crash was aided by several citizens who lifted the vehicle off her so she could breathe.

Sgt. David Thompson with the Washington County Sheriff's Office says the crash happened after the driver of a southbound 2006 silver Pontiac Grad Prix lost control of her vehicle and crashed on SW River Road south of SW Farmington Road.

"Witnesses said that 20-year old Stephanie Baker failed to negotiate a turn on SW River Road and lost control of her vehicle. The car spun and then flipped over on its side. Her passenger, 30-year old David Clark, was able to get out of the car on his own. Ms. Baker was trapped in the vehicle with her head lodged under the doorframe."

Thomsson says citizens, who stopped to help, quickly realized that Ms. Baker was not breathing because of the weight of the car on top of her. Several people were able to push the car partially off of Ms. Baker and relieved some of the weight on her.

That is when Carlos Megia-Otzoy from the "Means Nursery" across the street brought over a forklift and kept the weight of the car off Ms. Baker until rescue units arrived. When the men took the weight of the car off Ms. Baker she started to breath on her own.

After fire crews extricated Ms. Baker from the car she was taken by life flight to Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) with life-threatening injuries. She is currently listed in critical condition. The passenger, Mr. Clark, was taken to OHSU by ground ambulance with non-life-threatening injuries.

Deputies on the scene of the crash said the citizens who stopped and rendered aid to Ms. Baker, saved her life. They said the citizens gave her a fighting chance to make it to the hospital where doctors are working to save her.