Good Samaritans bring toddler to safety after Odessa car crash

The City of Odessa is praising the actions of Good Samaritans who helped bring a toddler to safety following a car crash over the weekend, according to the City of Odessa.

At around midnight Saturday, Odessa Fire Rescue responded to a two-car crash in the area of Dixie and University boulevards, city officials said. A woman driving a red vehicle was reportedly pinned inside the car and needed to be extricated with hydraulic tools. A toddler was in the back seat of that red car, but thankfully a group of Good Samaritans sprung into action, quickly removing the child from the car and into safety.

Among those Good Samaritans was Ethan De La Paz, who city officials praised in a Facebook post. La Paz said he was on the way home from his mother-in-law’s house with his family when the crash took place. He called 911 and, alongside other Good Samaritans, helped bring the child to another car.

“My wife and I got him a blanket and some of our daughter’s toys to take his mind off what just happened,” he told city officials.

The child was taken to the hospital for precautionary reasons, as was the driver of the other car involved in the crash.

La Paz said he doesn’t consider himself a hero: “I did what I hope someone would do for my family.” The humble father of a 1-year-old also made sure to credit other Good Samaritans at the scene, according to the city.

“Ethan, you are a HERO!,” the city’s Facebook page proclaimed. “The City of Odessa is fortunate to have great people like you, willing to step up and help during the toughest of situations.”