‘Heroic’ bystanders save driver after vehicle flips into freezing river, Utah rescuers say

When Preston Haun and Stefania Fox spotted a vehicle overturned in a Utah river, the two motorists didn’t hesitate.

“I didn’t even think about the coldness or the depth. Just knowing somebody’s in there … We just went in,” Haun told KSTU.

As Haun and Fox checked the wreck in the freezing river, the driver surfaced nearby, Haun said, according to the outlet. They pulled him to shore and began treating his injuries.

“Heroic in every sense of the word I can’t thank them more than that. They’re true heroes in our community,” Eddie Hales, the Spanish Fork fire and EMS chief, told the station.

The crash took place in the Spanish Fork River at about 8:06 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10, the city police, fire and EMS agency said in a news release.

Emergency crews who arrived a few minutes later treated the driver and took him to a hospital, officials said. No one else was in the vehicle.

A special response team was activated to deal with a fuel leak from the crashed vehicle, officials said.

Officials said there are “no public safety concerns stemming from this incident.”

“We are deeply appreciative of the bravery displayed by these individuals,” Hales said in the release.

“However, we want to remind the public of the significant dangers posed by freezing water and unknown conditions,” he said. “Personal safety should always be your top priority.”

Police are investigating the cause of the crash.

Spanish Fork is about a 50-mile drive south from Salt Lake City.

This story was originally published January 12, 2025 at 10:42 AM with the headline "‘Heroic’ bystanders save driver after vehicle flips into freezing river, Utah rescuers say."