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43 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, January 27, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Opportunities Moving to Southern Oregon? MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend August 8, 2004 Preston Peters, 33, of Rogue River would like to thank the men who saved him from a burning car Wednesday. Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli Crash victim wants to offer thanks By SANNE SPECHT Mail Tribune ROGUE RIVER — A Gulf War veteran, pulled away from a fiery car crash Wednesday by passing drivers, wants to meet the good Samaritans who saved his life but skipped his thanks. "It’s like guardian angels showed up, saved my butt and then drove off," said Preston Peters, 33, of Rogue River. "I attribute my still being alive to those two guys dragging me away from the car." Peters, 33, was driving to Grants Pass and lost control of his 1996 Chevy Cavalier when he swerved to avoid hitting a cat. "My girlfriend has cats," he said. "I remember thinking, ‘Don’t hit that cat.’ " Saving the cat nearly cost Peters his life. His car careened down the embankment, hit a tree and came to rest in a blackberry patch before bursting into flames. Advertisement Injured in the crash, a stunned Peters pushed the deployed airbag out of his face and saw flames licking up from under the hood of the car. He says he doesn’t remember hitting the tree. But the impact of his car ripped a four-foot chunk of bark off the base. He thinks that’s when his keys, dangling from the ignition, were driven into his right knee and made scrambling up the hill an impossibility. "The door was jammed shut," said Peters. "But luckily I was driving with the windows open. I squeezed out and landed in the blackberry bushes. I couldn’t have made it to the road. I do remember screaming for help." An unidentified woman in a red truck heard Peters’ cries and stopped. She flagged down the two motorists who dragged Peters to safety. The two men left the scene before police could get their names. Rogue River Fire District arrived on scene within minutes of the accident and quickly doused the fire. But the heat from the flames was so intense the car’s model and color were obliterated. Even the car’s license plates were melted. Peters said he is an Army veteran who is listed as 80 percent disabled with Gulf War syndrome. He is on permanent disability. He said he served in both Desert Storm and Desert Shield with the 10th Mountain Division. He returned from his service with a host of medical problems and has endured surgeries for his ongoing illness and injuries. "The official explanation is that I was exposed to chemicals of unknown origins," said Peters. Released from Rogue Valley Medical Center after treatment and observation for his injuries, Peters said he’s now working on getting a new driver’s license so his insurance company can offer help. "They won’t let me get the loaner car until I can show them a driver’s license," said Peters. "My wallet was in the car. What can I say? It was a bad day." Just after the accident, witness Lila Proby described Peters as "45 or so" and about 300 pounds — an assessment that Peters said stung as much as the stitches in his knee. He weighs about 240, he said. Proby also described Peter’s two rescuers. One was an older, small-framed Hispanic man, and the other was a tall, young, white male. Peters said he was too stunned from the accident to recall any details, other than that the two men saved him. He has no doubt he would have died without their intervention. "I really want to thank the two guys who grabbed me and dragged me away from the car," Peters said. "If they hadn’t, I’d probably have burned up with the car." Reach reporter Sanne Specht at 776-4497 or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers