OKC Man Saves Family From Fiery Crash, Woman Clings To Life

A metro man is being called a hero after saving members of his family from a fiery crash on a busy Oklahoma City Interstate.

Monday, October 1st 2012, 9:18 pm

By: News 9


A metro man is being called a hero after saving members of his family from a fiery crash on a busy Oklahoma City interstate.

Four members of the same family were rushed to the hospital after their car went up in flames on I-240 near S. Santa Fe Ave. Friday.

As of late Monday, one of the four victims, Patricia Bowden, was clinging to life at OU Medical Center with the help of machines.

Bowden's family members were in tears as they told News 9 that she was not expected to make it through the night.

Cell phone video from Friday's crash captured a moment in time that continues to haunt Elvin Brown.

"I've had nightmares for two days over it," Brown said.

Brown does not call himself a hero but his family disagrees. After rolling out of the flames, Brown returned to rescue his fiancée and future mother-in-law.

"The only thing I had on my mind was get her out before she burned up," Brown said.

Now, with broken ribs and scars from his face on down, Brown is recalling how his nightmare started. Troopers say 24-year-old Carlos White was falling asleep behind the wheel when his Grand Marquis hit the Bowden's pickup truck, causing the truck to hit a barrier wall and catch fire. The driver of the truck, Ellis Bowden, rolled from his vehicle shortly after the crash. Ellis and his daughter, Karen, are doing okay. But, things did not look good for the family matriarch, Patricia Bowden.

"She's [a] very sweet, loving beautiful person," Brown said.

Brown says he tried rescuing Bowden several times with no luck until he was finally able to pull her from her seat belt.

"[The seat belt] finally burnt in two [pieces] to where we could pull her out," Brown said.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says White was driving on a suspended license and cited for his role in the crash. White could face criminal charges. Troopers say White was arrested at the scene, but there was no record of him being booked into the Oklahoma County Jail as of late Monday. White was not injured in the crash.

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