A Pleasantville woman faces criminal charges after she was pulled from a burning vehicle after a crash in Atlantic City.
Maria Huichapan-Soto, 44, was allegedly unlicensed, under the influence and speeding when she struck another car in the 700 block of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard just after 11 p.m. Thursday.
EMT Angela Nichols was heading to work when she saw Huichapan-Soto's car in the middle of the street and smelled smoke.
"I rolled my window down and heard people screaming there was somebody stuck inside," Nichols told BreakingAC.
The Absecon woman tried to open the door, as three men tried to kick in the window. They were all unsuccessful.
So Nichols ran back to her car and got her window punch, used by EMTs to help safely break vehicle glass.
Huichapan-Soto was unconscious inside, so Nichols pulled her out.
As the three men helped Nichols carry the woman, the car became fully engulfed in flames, she said.
They were able to get Huichapan-Soto to the grass, where Nichols "rendered the best care I could with the little equipment that I had."
Huichapan-Soto started to regain consciousness, but still wasn't very responsive, Nichols said.
She stayed with the woman until other EMTs arrived and took Huichapan-Soto and the 26-year-old Atlantic City woman driving the other vehicle to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center's City Campus.
There injuries were not considered life-threatening injuries, Sgt. Kevin Fair said.
Nichols said she was just glad "everybody is walking away alive and well for the most part."
"I'm glad I was at the right place at the right time," she said. "Honestly, I didn't even think twice, I just knew it was something I had to do. I had to save somebody's life. That's what I had to do."
An investigation by Officer Joseph Bereheiko led to the arrest of Huichapan-Soto for driving while intoxicated.
Huichapan-Soto was driving with a suspended license and an open container of alcohol in her vehicle, Fair said.
She was released on a summons.
