Passersby credited with saving woman from fiery crash
Published 10:45 am Wednesday, May 11, 2016
A firefighter sprays water on a burned vehicle on Interstate 35 near Sandstone. The woman driving it crashed and bystanders rescued her as the SUV burned. Courtesy of the Minnesota State Patrol
By Tim Nelson
MPR.org/90.1 FM
The Minnesota State Patrol is crediting three passersby with rescuing a motorist from a fiery crash on Sunday.
Authorities said Marie Hupalo, 67, of Thunder Bay, Ontario, was driving southbound on Interstate 35 near Sandstone, Minn., when she went off the road and crashed.
Her SUV burst into flames with her inside it, and the patrol said she was too badly hurt to get out.
A state trooper’s dash camera captured one of the bystanders explaining what happened: “I was right behind her. As soon as I saw her, I saw her veer off into the road, and then I saw dust come up, she went right into the trees, and instantly I pulled over and pulled her out of the car.”
The patrol said Josh and Elissa Schnell and Sean Kehren were the passing motorists who saved her life.
The woman was taken to North Memorial Medical Center. She is expected to survive, although authorities say they don’t have any details about her condition.
