Sheriff's Deputy Saves Woman From Car Seconds Before it Burst into Flames

The deputy was driving through Encinitas when he saw the smoking car

A San Diego Sheriff’s Deputy saved a woman trapped inside a smoking car in the early hours of Sunday morning, the Sheriff’s Department confirmed.

Deputy Steve Gusman, of the North Coastal Station, was driving in the 3300 block of Manchester Avenue when he saw what looked like a cloud of fog. He turned around and eventually got out of his car near the marsh where he saw a smoking Honda civic that had driven off the road.

He couldn’t see the passenger through the smoke, but heard a woman, who appeared to be in shock, saying she couldn’t move.

Deputy Gusman got the woman out of the car, placed her over his shoulder and carried her over the embankment – just moments before the car became completely engulfed in flames.

She had no reported injuries and there were no other passengers in the car.

Deputy Gusman was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.

Deputies determined 54-year-old woman was under the influence of alcohol and she was booked into the Vista Detention Facility.

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