The Clark County Fire Department soon will honor an emergency service truck driver for the same act of heroism that got him fired. Anthony Garcia, risked his own safety, used his truck to block a car from barreling into traffic on the Las Vegas Strip and possibly averted disaster.
“I’m always going to do what’s right, especially if it’s saving somebody,” Garcia said.
Last March, the driver of a car suffered a medical episode, lost control along the off-ramp and slammed against the walls headed down onto Spring Mountain toward the Fashion Show Mall.
“He was going uncontrollably all over the road, could tell nobody was at the wheel,” Garcia said.
Thinking fast, Garcia sideswiped his truck against the car preventing it from plowing into other cars.
“It’s a downhill slingshot right before the boulevard,” said Travis Haldeman, a firefighter who responded to the call. “I’m really happy he did what he did that day.”
Haldeman said Garcia may have saved lots of people from danger. “It helped prevent a lot of potential injuries from occurring,” Haldeman said.
Instead of getting a hero’s welcome or a pat on the back from his employer, Garcia got fired. “It’s just really weird they would fire me for that,” Garcia said.
The Clark County Fire Department will recognize Garcia next week with the citizen heroism award for the same act that cost Garcia his job.
“We need more people like that. Haldeman said. “He went way above and beyond the call that day.”
When asked if he would do it the same thing again, Garcia answered “Oh in a heartbeat. I could find another job. He couldn’t find another life.”
13 Action News called Garcia’s former employer, Quality Towing. The company has not returned our calls.
Garcia will receive his award one week from tomorrow from the Clark County Fire Department.
