Pair risk their lives to save driver

LANCASTER, N.Y. (WIVB) - Ron Metzger and Francisco Martinez were driving an AMVETS donations truck Friday afternoon on Broadway near Schwartz Road in Lancaster when a Ford sedan going the same direction began to veer into their lane.

"Real quickly it happened and I told my partner he's having a seizure or a heart attack, we got to stop this car. At the that time he sped up, got in front of the car, slowed down so the car would tap our back bumper," Metzger said.

Martinez added, "I tried catching up to his speed and going as fast as he was so I could slow the vehicle down and it actually worked, I was surprised myself. I didn't know I could do it."

With the car's front bumper locked onto the rear bumper of the AMVETS truck, it took at least 300 feet to bring the car to a grinding halt with the car's wheels still spinning.

Metzger said, "And when I hopped out of the car to run back, the guy was definitely having a heart attack behind the wheel. His foot was stuck on the gas and he was lodged up against the back of our truck. My partner was holding the truck still."

Just then a Lancaster Police officer happened to pull up.

"The officer busted in the passenger window, reached in, threw it in neutral," Metzger said.

Lancaster Police say if Martinez hadn't acted, the victim's car could have gone off the road or worse - across the center line into oncoming traffic.

Martinez couldn't say what made him think of getting in front of the car with his truck, but said, "God probably told me to slow it down."

AMVETS Regional Manager Keith Haley said, "I think it's absolutely incredible what he did. He really thought on his toes and he did a really great job and you couldn't have a better person in the truck at the time. He's our most senior driver."

The 58-year-old man who was driving that car is out of the emergency room and resting in fair condition at ECMC.