CHP Officer Rescues Driver

​  CAR FIRE near Onyx Summit

  Tuesday, October 14, 2014, at approximately 1:20 p.m., California Highway Patrol Officer Holzberger, ID 15158, of the Arrowhead CHP Area Office, in Running Springs was traveling northbound on State Route 38, south of Onyx Summit near Angelus Oaks.

  Officer Holzberger noticed smoke off to the right past the guardrail.  As he investigated the source of the smoke, he noticed the top of a maroon colored SUV over the side.  The hood of the vehicle was open from the collision and flames were coming from the engine compartment of the SUV.  The CHP Officer immediately ran down the hillside to check the vehicle for occupants and yelled inside the vehicle and heard the solo occupant reply “I’m here”. 

Officer Holzberger could see the occupant (Wallace Andrew Henderson, 69, Sugarloaf, CA) was in the front passenger area.  He asked if he was okay and Wallace told Officer Holzberger that he had artificial knees, shoulders and hips and could not get out on his own. 

The CHP Officer told Wallace the vehicle was on fire and he needed to get out.  After Officer Holzberger assisted Wallace out of the vehicle and up to safety; he  returned to his patrol vehicle and retrieved his fire extinguisher and shovel.  He  attempted to extinguish the fire with a fire extinguisher. Because of the intensity of the car-fire the officer was only able to contain it until San Bernardino County Fire personnel arrived at the scene.   Wallace sustained minor abrasions to arms and complained of pain to his shoulders, as a result of this incident.