Police and good Samaritans rescue great-grandmother and child trapped under car
Police in Tampa released bodycam footage showing the rescue of a great-grandmother and small child who were trapped under a car after a driver ran them over while backing out of a parking lot.
On Sunday, Tampa Police and Fire Rescue responded to report of a pedestrian-involved car accident in the parking lot of an apartment complex and found an 80-year-old woman and her 3-year-old great-granddaughter pinned beneath a Toyota Corolla.
According to police, the pair were returning from the grocery store when a driver accidentally hit the two while backing out of a parking spot.
“After feeling a bump, the driver said he assumed it was a large storm drain and attempted to pull forward. When the vehicle did not move, he became aware that he had struck someone,” police said.
A group of unidentified good Samaritans used a hydraulic jack to raise the car before first responders even arrived.
Once at the scene, police Cpl. Lance Baker helped the woman stuck under the car to breathe by removing grocery store items from between the woman and the car, police said. Baker also worked with firefighters to cut the child out of her stroller, before they were able to safely remove both of them from under the vehicle.
In a statement, Interim Chief of Police Lee Barcaw applauded Baker for his poise under pressure and suggested that the 80-year-old and great-granddaughter are on the mend for the upcoming holidays.
“We are proud of Cpl. Baker’s quick actions and calmness under pressure while helping this family,” Barcaw said. “We are thankful for the good Samaritans and Tampa firefighters who also jumped into action to help make sure this grandmother and young child will get a chance to see another Christmas this week.”