Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Log Cabin City Council Member Aaron Scott (left) and his son, Blake (right), receive Life Saving Awards and Letters of Commendation from Log Cabin Police Patrolman Nathan Hazelton (center) June 15 for removing a person from a burning vehicle following a May 29 accident.

LOG CABIN–For Aaron Scott and his son, Blake, a May 29 afternoon drive turned into hectic and heroic measures to save the life of a motorist after they spotted smoke rising in the distance from the side of Ranch to Market Road 3054.
For their actions, Log Cabin City Council Member Aaron Scott and Blake, who will be a senior at Eustace High School, received Life Saving Awards from the City of Log Cabin and Letters of Commendation from its police department during the June 15 Log Cabin City Council meeting.
During their ride, Blake saw the smoke and wondered, “Why would somebody be burning something that close to the highway?” After that, the Scotts drove closer.
Going down the highway, Aaron says “I almost turned down (County Road) 1411, but I decided to keep on going, and then I saw a truck pulling over down there.”
Blake remembers, “My dad, in disbelief, said, ‘Is that a truck?’.” Other people were at the scene, Blake continues, who told the Scotts that someone was inside the upside-down vehicle. Soon, they heard a moan. Aaron noticed the entire front end toward the passenger compartment was on fire.
Blake says that as his father was kicking out the truck window, the injured motorist reached out with his hand through the growing gap. The flames were more prominent on the driver’s side, so Aaron says he kicked out the passenger window. At some point, a tire exploded, according to Aaron. One outreached hand became both hands seeking help, Aaron says.
After Aaron pulled out the man, “he (Aaron) started getting light-headed, started to get tunnel vision and couldn’t really hold himself up,” Blake says. When that happened, Blake stepped in.
Aaron recalls, “Next thing, I’m looking over there and he’s (Blake) putting him (the driver) up on his shoulder and another guy helps hoist him up there, and they take him away and set him down.”
Blake continues, “The flames were getting higher as we were pulling him out, and it was really hot.”
Blake says the incident was further proof there is a God and that “God puts you in certain places and time, and that everything has a purpose.”
After investigations were completed and the driver was transported to the hospital by helicopter, it was determined that the driver had no burns to his body, and further determined that whoever removed the driver from the burning vehicle saved that person’s life, Log Cabin Police Patrolman Nathan Hazelton said while reading his Letter of Commendation.
“Due to their quick actions, both Aaron Scott along with his son were able to remove the male from the vehicle with no further injuries,” said Hazelton, who responded to the accident scene.
Medics advised that if the patient would have been trapped in the vehicle any longer, the male subject would have been deceased prior to first responders’ arrival, the Letter of Commendation continues.
“I’d like to take this time to thank both Aaron Scott and his son for their quick response, and brave and heroic action in saving the life of another person,” Hazelton said. “The stress these two people were faced with while saving a person’s life from a burning vehicle is by far above and beyond the call of duty for any civilian to be faced with.”
Says Aaron, “I would want somebody to do it for me.”
A fundraiser for the accident victim was held Saturday, June 24 at The Chalk Lounge in Malakoff (104 S. Terry St., Suite B) featuring a silent auction and more than six hours of music (including Kadie Lynn), starting at 4:30 p.m.