Tim Woloszyn, 19, and Roger Turner, 38, both happened to be driving along the same stretch of road in South Beloit, Illinois on Saturday when they spotted a car on fire. The two men had never met before, but quickly began working together to save the unconscious driver of the vehicle.
Woloszyn, fresh out of National Guard training, opened the scalding hot car door with his shirt and cut the 21 year-old driver, free of his seatbelt. “He snapped that seat belt with the knife so quick, it sticks in my head because it was so fast,” Turner told WREX Illinois.
The two men pulled Estrada from the car 20 seconds before the front half of the vehicle was engulfed in flames. Paramedics arrived on scene just a few minutes later. The driver is still reported to be in critical condition at a nearby hospital.
KnifeNews reached out to Woloszyn, who told us that he used a Smith & Wesson Black Ops assisted knife to cut Estrada free. “I always carry a knife on me every day,” he said.
When asked why he carries a knife, Woloszyn told us “From being in the military I feel that I should be ready for any problem that arises. You’ll never know when you’ll need one, whether it would be for an emergency or self defence. You should always have one.”
Following Saturday’s accident, Turner said the incident convinced him of the benefits of carrying a knife and he plans on starting now.
Earlier this month, KnifeNews reported the story of an off-duty cop who saved a baby from a burning pick-up truck in a similar circumstance.
Joe Bartholdi
September 28, 2015 at 11:49 pm
I don’t understand how people don’t carry a knife. I use mine everyday.
Kenneth Steve Baker
September 29, 2015 at 12:31 am
I carry at least two every day , don’t go anywhere without a good knife .
Dan Bouchard
September 29, 2015 at 12:35 am
Would have had minutes to spare if they had a CRKT
Joel Morales
September 29, 2015 at 1:15 pm
I always carry a reliable (not necessarily expensive, but not necessarily cheap) and I always carry a knife with a glass breaker/belt cutter or have one easily available.
Joel Morales
September 29, 2015 at 1:17 pm
I love CRKT, but best rescue knife I’ve ever owned that made airbags into butter was the Smith & Wesson Border Guard, cheap knife, huge handle, but best glass breaker ever of any knife. Always have an SOB knife. A son of a b&@$h knife to be ready to ruin if need be.
Max Miliano
September 29, 2015 at 1:57 pm
When I was about 10yrd old this old timer told me a story about canoeing down some rapids in the northern part of Maine. Flipped the canoe and his leg was caught up in his mooring line and was dragging him down river. If he did not have his Schrade Sharpfinger on his belt he wouldn’t be here today!.
Every since I have carried some kind of blade in one form or another
Max Miliano
September 29, 2015 at 2:00 pm
The look I get when I use it for menial tasks like opening mail or cutting a sandwich —___—
“Looks like we have a Rambo today in the office”
Joel Morales
September 29, 2015 at 4:01 pm
Its a knife i didn’t mind abusing since it could be easily replaced and most of the time was a utility tool. For self defense I always carry a CRKT or Cold Steel.
Matthew Cover
September 29, 2015 at 8:37 pm
Thats what my Spyderco Rescue with sheepfoot is for well one of the uses anyways. 😉
Max Mitchell
September 29, 2015 at 11:15 pm
How about that benchmade 915 triage?!
I feel like that’s a real rescue/Sheepdog’s knife
Tony Lee Villarreal
October 16, 2015 at 1:25 pm
Awesome