'Angel' Driver Given New Car After Crash Stopped Alleged Drunk Driver from Killing Pedestrians
An Arizona driver is being rewarded and hailed an “angel” thanks to a heart-stopping video showing the moment she prevented a tragic accident with her own car.
Shannon Vivar, 27, was driving through a busy intersection in Phoenix with her mother and young son when she inadvertently saved the lives of a couple pushing their child in a stroller through a crosswalk, The Arizona Republic reported.
In the dramatic video tweeted by the Phoenix Police Department, Vivar’s Chevy Cruze could be seen legally entering the intersection just as another vehicle, a Jeep Renegade, flew through the red light at a dangerous speed headed straight for the family crossing the road.
Seeing the suspected drunk driver barreling toward them, the couple pushing their baby froze in their tracks in the middle of the street.
But miraculously, Vivar’s car collided with the side of the Jeep just as it entered the intersection. The crash sent both vehicles skidding and spinning out of control just inches from the pedestrians.
Ernesto Oveso, the driver of the other car, was arrested for a DUI and also faces charges of aggravated assault, according to KSAZ-TV.
Thankfully, the family in the crosswalk hurried across the street and made it to safety, video footage revealed.
An angel in the form of a Chevy Cruz may have saved the lives of a couple pushing a stroller through a Phoenix crosswalk at 53rd Ave & Indian School.
The innocent driver will be OK. The red-light runner was arrested for DUI. pic.twitter.com/Ypz8AQZrmi
— Phoenix Police Department (@phoenixpolice) October 23, 2019
“It just happened so quickly,” Vivar told KSAZ-TV.
“I think it was all meant to happen that way,” she added. “Something was telling me to just hold on a little bit, you know?”
“An angel in the form of a Chevy Cruz may have saved the lives of a couple pushing a stroller through a Phoenix crosswalk,” Phoenix Police tweeted.
And while the wreck left Vivar and her family with only moderate injuries, her car was another story. The ‘angel’ Chevy Cruze was badly wrecked in the incident.
But not long after the video clip was shared, employees at Carvana stumbled on the tweet and decided to bless Vivar with a new set of wheels. This week, they surprised the mom with a new 2018 Chevy Cruze.
‘Hero driver’ receives new car after crashing into suspected drunk driver, saving couple crossing street. @TyFox10 has the story. https://t.co/gGkvB67Ijh pic.twitter.com/SOq9rg3KU9
— FOX 10 Phoenix (@FOX10Phoenix) October 30, 2019
“When we heard about this, we recognized her as a community hero,” Teresa Aragon of Carvana told KSAZ-TV. “And when you watch the video it’s so compelling.”
“We wanted to reach out to this woman and thank her for this remarkable action,” she added.
Vivar expressed her gratitude for the gift, saying that it had helped her tremendously in the aftermath of the dangerous crash.
“I’ve been having a hard time coping with everything and this makes me feel really good,” she said. “I’ve cried, I’ve never actually had anything like this happen to me so it was really really new to me.”
Carvana also gifted Vivar a car seat for her son and a family pack to Disneyland.
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