An off-duty California deputy made a dramatic rescue recently when he pulled a child from a stalled SUV moments before an oncoming train plowed into the vehicle.
The brave actions of Deputy Michael Castaneda were captured on video by a bystander. Earlier this month, Castaneda received Meritorious Valor Award for saving the child on train tracks in Redlands, the agency stated in a social media post.
Before the rescue, Castaneda was behind an SUV that became stuck on train tracks as the gate closed, CBS News reports. Although the vehicle was stuck, the driver went back to the SUV to get to her two children still inside.
"At the moment, it dawned on me pretty quick that there's probably a kid back there or another passenger in the vehicle and that train was getting really close," Castaneda told CBS.
The woman had gotten one child out of the vehicle and was trying to reach another child in the SUV. That's when Castaneda ran toward the danger and picked up one of the kids, while the woman grabbed the other.
Video footage from the incident showed a train crashing into the SUV just as everyone had reached safety.
"I think it was just the perfect timing for me to be somewhere," said Castenada.
Even though he was off duty and returning home, Castaneda said what he did wasn't extraordinary. It was part of being a deputy.
"What I do for my job, what I've done in the past, is just to help people," he said.
