Salem News Channel

Motorists Lift Medical Helicopter To Rescue Woman After Crash On CA Highway

All lanes were open again Tuesday on a highway in California's capital where a medical helicopter crashed, critically injuring three people aboard, including a woman who was pinned underneath and rescued with the help of motorists who lifted part of the aircraft, according to officials. The helicopter landed upside down Monday evening and left debris scattered across State Route 50 east of downtown Sacramento. The aircraft had departed a hospital after dropping off a patient when it experienced an “in-air emergency" and went down just after 7 p.m., said Captain Justin Sylvia with the Sacramento Fire Department. A pilot, nurse and paramedic were taken to hospitals in critical condition, he said. No one on the highway was injured, he said, calling that “mind blowing" given that the helicopter crashed in the center of the eastbound lanes. “People reported that they basically saw the helicopter kind of going down quickly. So all the traffic slowed down,” Sylvia said. An injured woman was trapped underneath the helicopter and a crew from the fire department was able to work with motorists to push the aircraft off and get her into an ambulance. “It took every ounce of all approximately 15 people to move that aircraft up just enough to get her out,” he said. Aimee Braddock was among those who helped. She told KCRA-TV that she rushed to the crash site after seeing the helicopter plummet to the pavement. “As soon as I saw that everybody was moving to try to push the helicopter out to help the first responders get to the passenger, I just ran over and got in the line of people and was just pushing it as much as I could,” Braddock recounted. “Then we held it for several minutes, so the first responder could get the person out.” The helicopter did not catch on fire, Sylvia said. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration said they were investigating the crash of the Airbus EC-130 T2. Eastbound lanes of the highway were closed throughout the night and reopened Tuesday morning. The aircraft was a REACH Air Medical helicopter, according to the company, which said in a statement that they “are keeping all those impacted in our thoughts and prayers.” “We are in the process of determining the details of this situation, as well as the condition of the REACH crew involved, who were all taken to area hospitals,” the company's statement said. Sacramento City Councilwoman Lisa Kaplan was on a ride along with law enforcement responding to the crash and said there were plumes of white smoke coming out of the downed helicopter. “It’s really sombering and sobering. I am up flying with sheriff pilots that do this day in and day out. And it really makes you grateful for every day and grateful for our officers and our medical pilots," she said.

Biden's 'Arctic Frost' Targeted GOP Senators

Biden's 'Arctic Frost' Targeted GOP Senators With Journalist, Mark Halperin.

GOP Senator Reacts To Being Targeted By Biden's DOJ

GOP Senator Reacts To Being Targeted By Biden's DOJ With TN Senator, Bill Hagerty.

Sen. Graham Livid Over Biden DOJ Spy Campaign

Will Communism Win In NYC?

Will Zohran Mamdani win the NYC mayoral campaign? Or will Curtis Sliwa be able to pull off the upset?

Mark Sanchez STABBED, Arrested For BATTERY

Former NFL Quarterback, Mark Sanchez, has been arrested for battery in Indianapolis following a fight where he also got stabbed.

Operation 'Arctic Frost' And The Legality Of Using The Guard To Police American Cities

Operation 'Arctic Frost' And The Legality Of Using The Guard To Police American Cities With Mark Weaver, Constitutional Lawyer in PA and OH, former DOJ Spokesperson, author of the book A WORDSMITH’S WORK.

The Significance Of October 7th Two Years Later

The Significance Of October 7th Two Years Later With John Hayward of Breitbart News.

Timeline Leading Up To The Biden DOJ Launching 'Arctic Frost'

Gov't Shutdown, The Economy, & Artificial Intelligence

Gov't Shutdown, The Economy, & Artificial Intelligence With Steve Moore, Committee to Unleash Prosperity, former economist at the Trump White House, author of the daily “Hotline” newsletter from the Committee to Unleash Prosperity | Co-author of The Trump Economic Miracle: And the Plan to Unleash Prosperity Again (released September 24, 2024).