Tourist describes saving man from burning car on Las Vegas Strip

By Drew Andre

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    LAS VEGAS (KVVU) — Justin Mouser and his wife walked down the Las Vegas Strip Friday afternoon when they saw a car ram into a palm tree in the center divide.

Then, they noticed that no one got out of the car.

“After a couple of minutes, I thought well somebody needs to look in to see what’s wrong with him,” Mouser said.

Video released by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department shows Mouser lean over as he saw more smoke billowing from the BMW stuck in the median on Las Vegas Boulevard near the Venetian. He and others worked to open the doors and try to get the driver out.

“The guys across the street were hollering that it was still on fire,” Mouser said. “So, I kind of stepped around the door, looked under the car and thought man that looks like it may be spreading a little. It might be time to pick up the pace.”

Mouser and a LVMPD officer are seen dragging a limp body out of the driver’s seat and to safety just seconds before the car went up in flames.

Mouser said lots of people came over to try to help. However, when the officer arrived, he told the crowd to step back for their safety.

“I don’t hear very well or sometimes act like I don’t,” Mouser said with a smile. “I probably should have listened to him, but I tried to help.”

Mouser was uninjured and the officer was sent to the hospital for smoke inhalation, but the police department said he is returning to work for his next scheduled shift.

Monday night Mouser arrived back home in Kentucky. The brave bystander is considered a hero for putting his life on the line to save a stranger. However, the barber from Kentucky is humbler than most. He said he acted like most would in that situation.

“Well, I think the officer would have got him regardless,” Mouser said. “I’m glad the guy’s going to be ok.”

It was a memorable first trip to Vegas for the man from Kentucky.

“I wasn’t planning on that, but you never know what’s going to come up,” Mouser said.

Court records show the driver, Alexander Dawkins, is facing a DUI charge. He was arrested at the hospital, Friday.

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