Brownsville suffered a horrifying accident on Sunday when a driver of an SUV crashed into a group of people waiting at a bus stop.
Eight people died in the accident on May 7.
29-year-old Brian Pineda was one of the lucky ones waiting on the other side of the street when the accident occurred.
Pineda, who was a firefighter in Venezuela for 11 years, sprung into action after the crash, and his efforts helped save the life of at least one man, according to KHOU.
“Something incredible … something unprecedented, surreal, I would say,” Pineda said in Spanish.
Upon hearing the SUV’s engine, Pineda turned around just in time to see the impact, and his experience as a firefighter took over.
“My reaction instead of leaving was to come closer and see what happened,” he said, per KHOU.
After observing a man lose his leg, he was worried about the man bleeding out, and he applied a tourniquet that he made using the man’s shirt.
Pineda heard screams from other victims and checked to see if they still had a pulse, he said, per KHOU.
Paramedics arrived shortly after, transporting the victims to the hospital.
Gabriel Gallardo was the victim who lost his leg. He remembers waiting for the bus and then realizing he was injured. Gallardo credits Pineda for saving his life. He remains in the hospital while he recovers from his injuries.
The police have been slow to release information on the victims.
Pineda recognized how lucky he was to be on the right side of the street.
“I could have been there,” he said, referring to the bus stop, according to KHOU.
George Alvarez, 34, the SUV driver, is accused of crashing into at least 18 people.
Prosecutors said he ran a red light and then lost control of the vehicle and tried to flee after the crash. Investigators are still unsure if the crash was an accident or intentional and are awaiting toxicology reports.
Alvarez is being charged with eight counts of manslaughter and 10 counts of assault with a deadly weapon. His bond was set at $3.6 million.
