Good Samaritans Barrett Thomas and off duty volunteer firefighter Abram Hill's actions save 4 year old and others in Rattlesnake Creek crash

 

On December 13, 2024, at 4:37 pm, Humboldt Communications Center (CHP Dispatch) received 9-1-1 calls for a multi-vehicle crash, where both vehicles were upside down in Rattlesnake Creek. 

Todd McKay, 47 years old of Garberville, CA, was driving his Toyota 4-Runner northbound on US 101, at Spy Rock Road, during the heavy rainstorm.  McKay’s 4-Runner began to hydroplane and ran off the roadway.  The 4-Runner drove up the embankment and overturned, landing on its roof.  The 4-Runner slid into the southbound lane, directly in front of a Toyota Rav 4, driven by Anthony Fair, 56 years old of Philo, CA.  The two vehicles collided, and both went down the embankment into Rattlesnake Creek.  Both vehicles landed in the creek upside down and were nearly submerged as the creek continued to rise due to the heavy rain fall.

Good Samaritans Barrett Thomas and Abram Hill (an off-duty volunteer fire fighter with Leggett Valley Fire and Rescue and Piercy Volunteer Fire Department) were driving, separately, through the area when they noticed vehicle debris in the roadway.  Both pulled over and checked down the embankment. Thomas pulled Fair and his son to safety out of the creek and noticed McKay’s vehicle downstream.  Hill jumped from the creek bank onto the upside-down vehicle, just as two of McKay’s children emerged from the vehicle.  Hill helped the children to the creek bank as McKay emerged from the vehicle with his 4-year-old child.  Hill helped McKay and his child up to the side of US 101.  Hill recognized the 4-year-old was not breathing and did not have a pulse.  Hill and Thomas began CPR.  Not long after starting CPR, the 4-year-old’s pulse returned and shortly after, the 4-year-old was breathing without assistance.  The 4-year-old was transported to Howard Memorial Medical Center and then to UC Davis Medical Center and expected to make a full recovery.

All occupants of both vehicles received minor injuries from the crash.

The CHP Garberville Office is extremely grateful for Abram Hill and Barrett Thomas for their quick actions in performing CPR in the pouring rain, ultimately saving the life of McKay’s 4-year-old child.