3 good Samaritans jump in Utah canal to save man trapped in truck - East Idaho News
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3 good Samaritans jump in Utah canal to save man trapped in truck

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FIELDING, Utah (KSL) — Norman LaBarge doesn’t know who saved him, but he is grateful they were there after his truck went into a canal near state Route 30 just west of Bear Hollow Wednesday.

Just before 5 p.m., motorists called 911 to report a pickup truck driving erratically. The driver of that truck was 79-year-old LaBarge, of Tremonton, and he was going into diabetic shock.

“I remember bouncing off the guard rails, and I remember going over toward the canal, and then the next thing I knew is there was water coming in,” LaBarge said.

Several people stopped to help, including Adam Blanchard, a Fielding Fire Department volunteer who was about a mile away when he heard there was a vehicle that had gone off the road into the canal. He, along with Utah Highway Patrol trooper Justin Zilles and a third man ran into the canal.

“As soon as we jumped in the water to try and get him out, the vehicle came off of a barrier that was holding it out of the water, and it went totally submerged flat,” Blanchard said.

The good Samaritans were able to pull him out of the truck through the passenger side.

“As soon as we got him out, the vehicle went submerged and went up against the bank into the bridge,” Blanchard said.

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Courtesy KSL.com

Blanchard and Zilles walked LaBarge to an ambulance, where he was treated for minor injuries.

“He walked away with just a tiny scratch on his head by his eye and a little bonk on his nose, and no worse for the wear,” his wife, Debby LaBarge, said.

He said he is grateful for the three men who quickly jumped into action and pulled him out.

“I don’t know who they are or why they came to help,” LaBarge said. “I’d like to express my appreciation to them because I’m very grateful for what they did.”

His wife is also grateful.

“For the people who called, and for the emergency teams, and you know, those people that were there to get him out, and you know how appreciative I am of them,” she said.

Had the good Samaritans arrived a few seconds later, Norman LaBarge said he could have drowned.

“It could have been much, much worse, yes, especially if when the truck went under, I was still in the truck,” he said. “Of course, it would have been catastrophically worse, but they got me out before that happened, so those good Samaritans really saved the day.

This article was originally published by KSL.com. It is used here with permission.

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