Marine honored for saving woman from burning car in Mount Laurel Township

MOUNT LAUREL TWP., New Jersey (WPVI) -- An off-duty Marine answered the call when he spotted a car engulfed in flames on I-295 in Mount Laurel Township, New Jersey.

Sgt. Diego Gomez says he knew he couldn't just drive by.

On a busy interstate without any protective gear, he jumped into action, sparking a rescue and saving a life.

"It happened so fast. It was like 10 minutes of my life, so it was intense but short," said Gomez, adding that he has not stopped thinking about the rescue.

Last June, he was driving northbound on I-295 back to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst when he saw a plume of black smoke.

When minutes mattered most, he pulled over and ran towards the car that had just caught fire.

"Something just kind of called out to me that I need to stop and see what's going on. I didn't see any first responders there, and then I saw Lea," he recalled. "She had crawled out of the passenger's side window and was lying on the ground next to the vehicle."

Moments from being fully engulfed, Gomez raced to move the passenger, who was severely injured, to a safe distance from the burning car.

"Her legs were completely smashed up, really bad condition," said Gomez.

"At any point did you think, 'If I get too close to this, I too could be injured?'" asked Action News' Christie Ileto.

"No, that was not a thought at all," Gomez replied.

He says emergency responders arrived 10-15 minutes later.

The driver, who was unresponsive behind the wheel, died at the scene.

"Me and other bystanders called out to him, but there was nothing," said Gomez.

The victim didn't want to go on camera but told Action News, "What Andrew did for me was more than just heroic. I'm beyond grateful for his actions on my behalf that night in the woods off the I-295. Without him, I most likely would not be here right now."

Gomez was awarded the highest non-combat decoration afforded by the Department of the Navy. The New Jersey Attorney General's office also recognized Gomez for his selfless actions that saved the life of a stranger.

"For me, it's not off duty. In the Marine Corps, they say you're a Marine because the right thing means life or death for someone," said Gomez.