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Good Samaritans spring into action, help Boynton Beach driver who suffers medical episode

Police seek to identify people involved in rescue
Good Samaritans help driver who suffers medical episode at Boynton Beach intersection
Posted at 1:36 PM, May 11, 2022
and last updated 2022-05-12 08:37:59-04

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — A group of good Samaritans jumped into action to help a woman who suffered a medical episode at a busy Boynton Beach intersection last week, police said.

The incident occurred at Woolbright Road and Congress Avenue on May 5.

A video distributed by the Boynton Beach Police Department shows the driver's car slowly entering the intersection at Congress Avenue.

Police said her co-worker was in another car and saw her slumped over the steering wheel.

The woman's co-worker raced across the street, waving her arms to get the attention of other drivers.

WATCH THE RESCUE BELOW:

Good Samaritans spring into action, help driver who had medical episode in Boynton Beach

Several people got out of their vehicles and worked together to stop the driver's car, which was still moving through the bustling intersection. One of the heroes was U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Juan Chavez.

"When I heard her say, 'She's unconscious, she's unconscious,' that's when I was like, 'I have to do something,'" Chavez said.

After the group manages to stop the car, Chavez heads back to his car to grab a tool to break one of the driver's car windows.

"We couldn't get the window open," Chavez explained. "You can see in the video someone tried to actually punch it out, but I had a tool in my car to break windows."

Police said one woman grabbed a dumbbell from her car, and a man used it to smash the rear passenger's side window.

Another man then climbed through the window to unlock the passenger's side door.

"She wasn't responsive initially," Chavez said. "Once we got the door open, she became more responsive."

WATCH: Army staff sergeant among good Samaritans to help woman

Army staff sergeant among those who helps woman suffering from medical episode while driving

The car was then put in park and the good Samaritans pushed it to a nearby 7-Eleven parking lot, where a nurse who was on the phone with 911 provided medical attention until the fire department arrived.

Police said they shared the video in hopes of learning the identities of all the strangers who came together to save this woman's life.

"They are heroes and we want to bring them back together at the police department to recognize them and meet the woman they rescued," police spokeswoman Stephanie Slater said. "We need your help to do this."

Slater said the woman is doing better after the scary incident.

"I did speak to her employer, and she is doing fine," Slater told WPTV reporter Josh Navarro. "She is back to work."

If you or someone you know is in the video or helped during the rescue, contact Slater at slaters@bbfl.us.