Grace Toohey and Katie Rice
Orlando Sentinel
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — On an early morning in January, Chris Tossas was driving to work at Publix when he crashed and his car caught on fire.
Two Orange County Sheriff’s Office deputies heard the crash and rescued the unconscious Tossas with the help of Orange County Fire Rescue.
On Wednesday, Tossas met the deputies who saved his life. Although he only learned of the rescue after a Sheriff’s Office employee narrated the events to him over the phone, Tossas said he feels a bond with Master Deputies Robert Ricks and Marco Ruiz.
“I love them, and I don’t even really know them, I just love them,” Tossas said. “I’m alive because of these two great men.”
The OCSO released a video on Wednesday of the Jan. 10 rescue off Alafaya Trail, showing clips from the deputies’ body camera footage, as well as interviews with the two deputies and the man who was rescued. That afternoon, the agency hosted a press conference where Tossas and his family met the deputies and Tossas shared his gratitude.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2523162647940820
Tossas called the deputies “superheroes” and thanked them for keeping him alive as Tossas’ family stood nearby.
“I’m just blessed,” Tossas said. “I’m just thankful to be here another day.”
The deputies said they heard a loud noise about 4:30 a.m. while they were preparing to head home after a night shift investigating local car burglaries, but couldn’t initially find any crash.
But as Ruiz drove down Alafaya Trail in southeast Orange County, he noticed a guardrail was missing. Ruiz, along with Ricks, eventually found a car flipped on its side, with smoke coming from it, about 20 feet from the road, according to the video.
The two deputies attempted to contact anyone inside, but got no response. While trying to find a driver, they noticed a car seat in the vehicle, and became concerned that a child might also be inside.
But soon after, Tossas regained consciousness and told deputies he was alone — but unable to get out. As Ruiz and Ricks tried to get him out while balancing on the unstable, marshy ground, the flipped car caught on fire, the deputies said.
“Come on, the car’s on fire bro!” one deputy screamed.
Ricks said he used a fire extinguisher on the blaze, but it did not do much good. He told Ruiz they had to hurry.
When Orange County Fire Rescue arrived soon afterward, the two agencies worked together to free Tossas from the vehicle and away from the flames.
On Wednesday, Tossas said he was recovering from a concussion and shoulder injuries and that he still had pain in his shoulder, neck and back.
The father of two said he doesn’t remember what led up to the crash, only “bits and pieces” of the moments beforehand. Investigators say drugs and alcohol were not factors in the crash.
“It’s a little mind-boggling,” he said. “I wish I could get some kind of insight into [the cause of the crash]. I’m just happy and grateful to be alive.”
When Ruiz thinks of the rescue, he said a law enforcement saying comes to mind: “We all go home together and we all go home at the same time.”