MUSKEGON COUNTY, Mich. — Just before 5 p.m. Saturday, fire crews from Dalton Township and officers from Michigan State Police responded to a call about a car on fire. Moments before they got that call, Stefani Mock was saving the driver from the wreckage.
"By the time I got my car stopped right there, the truck was already in flames," Mock said. "There was stuff blowing up everywhere, The windows blew out."
Mock was driving back to her home on Ewing Road at the time. She had just finished babysitting her niece, and is thankful her 1-year-old son was not in the car with her.
She says there are a lot of accidents that happen in that spot. A bend around Ewing road just before it turns into Sweeter, she says the other driver did not break or slow down in any way.
Online records show the driver of the truck was arrested for Operating a Vehicle while under the influence, specifically a BAC above .17, twice the legal limit.
"There was a tree up against his door and I had to pull that tree back as I’m yelling at him to get out because the truck is on fire," Mock said. She says the driver was wedged in, but her adrenaline fueled strength helped her to snap the branch pinning the door closed.
"The fire department thought we cut it," she said. Mock says the driver of the truck fell out of the driver seat onto the ground. He then began to stumble around, which Mock said made her think he hit his head.
Mock called 911 after freeing the driver from his truck so they could put out the fire. Eventually, he sat down on a nearby snow bank, but Mock said he got back up quickly and continued to stumble.
"Just don't drink and drive," she said, "it's not just your life you're putting at risk."
Mock says the thing she's most thankful for is the timing. Minutes later and she could have missed the chance to save a life, but a few seconds earlier and the driver would have collided with her head-on instead of the tree.
When asked if she felt like a hero, Mock said no.
"I would do it again," she said. "I didn’t even think about the flames, I just through about getting him out.”
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