Heroes save a burning woman's life

LAGRANGE COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) - An Indiana State Trooper and a good Samaritan from Fort Wayne are being called heroes Monday after rescuing a woman from her van on Sunday when she crashed and caught on fire.

On Sunday afternoon, 37-year-old Jennifer Wooster was headed north on State Road 9 near Wolcottville in LaGrange County when she lost control of her van and crashed into a utility pole. She was pinned inside the car, and her legs caught  on fire.

Just moments later, Indiana State Trooper Mike Carroll drove through that area. He saw Wooster's car wrecked into the pole and tried to get her out of the car. After calling 911 he realized he could not pull her out on his own because she was stuck in the seat.

Another pulled up to help get her out. He was 25-year-old Marcus Michael from Fort Wayne. Michael and Carroll managed to pull her out of the driver's side window. They sat her in the snow and rolled her around to put out the fire on her legs. A minute or two later the car was completely engulfed in flames.

Carroll and Michael acted heroically during those moments after the crash, but Carroll said Michael is the real hero for stopping and helping when he didn't have to.

"Without Mr. Michael's help there was no getting her out of that vehicle. He was instrumental in helping me take her out of that vehicle and to me he's the true hero in all of this," said Trooper Mike Carroll, Indiana State Police.

Michael said he was doing what anyone should do in that situation, and he doesn't consider himself to be a hero.

"Anything I could do to help her get out was common sense for me to do, and if you have the capabilities to help somebody like that you would offer that to somebody," said Marcus Michael, good Samaritan from Fort Wayne.

Wooster is still listed in serious condition at a hospital in Fort Wayne. Carroll said he doesn't think she would have made it out without Michael's help.