‘You will live, you will not die,' says Palm Bay officer while rescuing man from burning SUV

Strangers, along with Palm Bay police, helped pull a man from a fiery crash Sunday afternoon, and the officers spoke to WFTV about the rescue.

The driver was on U.S. 1 in Palm Bay when he plunged down a hill.

A group of strangers saw what happened and jumped into action.

"He never let off the gas and went over the embankment. Disappeared, and in the brush was smoke,” witness Tom Sais said.

Moments later the SUV caught fire.

Sgt. Steve Shytel and Officer Ryan Van Note got to the scene and said Tim Motil didn’t want to get out of the burning car.

"He was hollering and screaming, and every time that I would try to touch him, he would yell, 'No, no, no,’” Shytel said.

"It was a great relief when we saw people coming down the hill, making a chain to help us get up the hill,” Van Note said.

An officer said to the man, “You will live, you will not die” as he was assisting others in the rescue.

The good Samaritans made a chain down the steep embankment to help rescue Motil.

"I appreciate everybody that was there and helped. I don't know," Motil said.

WATCH THE RESCUE BELOW: 

Driver Rescued in Palm Bay

DARING RESCUE: Palm Bay police along with bystanders formed a human chain to rescue a driver after his SUV ran off the road and caught fire yesterday. Read more:http://at.wftv.com/2eKwvSz

Posted by WFTV Channel 9 on Monday, October 17, 2016

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