Johnny Peel
Rock 103 this morning told Mr. Peel they would pay his towing and hooked him up with a body shop who would do a good job at a good price to fix his car.
Posted on 07/19/2007 6:48:35 PM PDT by Sybeck1
Johnny Peel's Wednesday morning commute turned into a rescue mission that could've been on reality television.
Peel, 22, was headed from home in Sardis, Miss., to his job as a mechanic in Bartlett about 8 a.m. when he saw a man on a mechanic's wheeled creeper underneath a moving SUV along Interstate 55 near the Goodman Road exit in Southaven. Inside the moving SUV were two children.
The rest is a rescue story not to be believed.
Peel rescued Robert Finney, 48, of Hernando, and his two sons, ages 7 and 9, just moments before their Mitsubishi Montero would have drifted onto the traffic-clogged highway from a construction area between the traffic lanes and median.
"I was right next to him with my windows rolled up and the music blaring, and I could still hear him screaming for help," said Peel, who then made some split second decisions as he moved to rescue Finney using his 1989 Honda Accord.
"My instincts just took over," Peel remembered later Wednesday. "I was right next to the SUV, so I pulled between the construction zone where the car was and, you know, tried to get in front of the SUV to slow it down. I managed to get in front of it. And the next thing I know, I was jumping out of my car into his car and this little kid was in the front seat yelling, 'Brake! Brake! Brake!' "
Southaven Police Chief Tom Long was the first police vehicle to arrive at the scene on northbound I-55 just after 8 a.m.
"The variables that could have led to death or multiple deaths were all over the place," Long said.
He said Finney was driving north on the interstate when his vehicle died.
"He sort of coasted through the traffic cones into the construction area (between the traffic lanes and the median)," Long said.
"Finney said he thought he knew what had happened -- that something about his starter had failed or jammed. He thought that if he could manipulate the starter, that he could restart his vehicle."
Using a mechanic's wheeled creeper to get under the vehicle, lying on his back between the front tires, Finney banged around under the vehicle, which he had left in drive, and it suddenly started moving.
"The vehicle began rolling northward," Long said. "Mr. Finney grabbed the undercarriage of the vehicle and held on as the creeper began rolling forward with the vehicle."
Peel said the SUV was going about 15 to 20 mph as he drove beside it, hoping it didn't move back into heavy morning traffic.
He said Finney was dragged about 100 yards before the SUV crashed into his Honda and he was able to get into the vehicle to make sure it stopped.
"Everybody was shaken up and reality didn't come back to me until I was sitting in that man's vehicle pumping those brakes," Peel said.
Long commended Peel for his quick thinking.
"Thankfully, Peel had the presence of mind to run around the Montero, climb in and apply the brake. He stopped the vehicle just short of the time when it would have angled back into interstate rush-hour traffic," Long said.
Finney received scratches to his hands, arms and chest. He was examined on the scene by emergency workers, but was not taken to the hospital.
One of Finney's sons said Wednesday afternoon by phone that Finney was sleeping and doing fine.
His sons were not injured, and neither was Peel.
"My car is totaled, but that doesn't matter much when you consider what this poor man and his children went through," Peel said. "I did what any good American would've done. I just didn't want anybody to die."
-- Yolanda Jones: (662) 996-1474
-- William C. Bayne: (662) 996-1408
Copyright 2007, commercialappeal.com - Memphis, TN. All Rights Reserved.
Johnny Peel
Rock 103 this morning told Mr. Peel they would pay his towing and hooked him up with a body shop who would do a good job at a good price to fix his car.
Great story-—a real hero! Thanks for posting.
wow!! What a hero!!!
Incredible. I hope someone like him is around if I ever need help.
Finney banged around under the vehicle, which he had left in drive
I mean who in their right minds goes under a vehicle with its in drive.
thanks for posting!
If Peel has to pay a nickle something is very wrong.
I hope Honda knows about this—anyone have an email address for them?
HOKEY SMOKES BATMAN!! This guy deserves a medal and the key to the city ... THREE lives saved in one fell swoop. Impressive as all heck.
Amazing!
Whether our heroic soldiers fighting overseas or the heroic actions of this young man, Mr Peel just 22 years old, I believe America is hopeful of our nations future entrusted to these young people.
For every Paris Hilton there are dozens who march to a different drum.
Woah! Quick thinking on his part.
lol seriously
Uh oh... I hope the insurance (if it was insured) would pay, or somebody else offers to pay. It's sad if his heroic action brought a negative consequence on him.
if I was a Honda new car dealer,this man would be driving a new one “on me”
He should be nominated for the Carnegie Medal.
Reality!
Good Show, Ol' Chap.
State Farm is refusing to pay as it is self inflicted. Also he only had liability insurance which is understandable since it was a car from the 80’s.
are you series ? I have State Farm insurance for 2 decades, not tommorrow tho ( well by monday, golf tomorrow)
I’m not quiet sure what he did. Did he stop the car with his because it reads like the “mechanics” car was still rolling when the guy got in.
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