BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Erie County Sheriff's Office announced that a good Samaritan and first responders administered life-saving care following a crash on the I-190 south on Tuesday.
According to the ECSO, just before 5 p.m. on Tuesday, there was a single-vehicle crash into the center median on the I-190 in the area of Niagara Street. Detective Jonathan Hanna, a Tactical Emergency Casualty Care Instructor, encountered the crash and observed that a second vehicle stopped.
The sheriff's office said a man who identified himself as James Damon, a Buffalo Public School employee and BPS High School basketball coach, said he stopped to help and after he called 911 he removed the female victim from the vehicle and began CPR/chest compressions. Det. Hanna then took over chest compressions as Damon helped open the victim's airway. Deputy Kyle Hoffman, of the ECSO Medical Response Unit/EMT, also arrived on the scene and assisted in CPR efforts. Detective David Zamorek, also of the ECSO Medical Response Unit/EMT, arrived on the scene and assisted and a New York State Trooper arrived and provided Narcan which was administered.
According to the ECSO, Deputy Hoffman was later notified that they were able to establish a pulse and transported the female driver to the hospital. As of Wednesday she was intubated and described as stable following a medical emergency induced by a drug overdose.
In a release the sheriff's office said: "Sheriff Garcia would to recognize the quick, willing and selfless actions of Mr. Damon, of the City of Buffalo Public Schools as well as the efforts of Detectives Jon Hanna, David Zamorek and Deputy Kyle Hoffman. It is without doubt that the prompt efforts of Mr. Damon and the advanced training of the initial first responders provided the female victim with the greatest chance of survival."
