Sequoyah County Sheriff Larry Lane said thanks to the heroic actions of one of his off-duty deputies, a driver’s life was saved on July 31.

Lane said dispatch received a report last Wednesday of a single-vehicle accident on U.S. 64, outside of Muldrow town limits.

“When the call went out, Sequoyah County deputy Daniel Whitus was a very short distance away from the wreck. Although he was off duty that day, he was in his patrol unit, driving to court,” Lane said.

Whitus was reportedly the first individual to locate the wrecked vehicle, saw that it was smoking and beginning to catch fire.

“Deputy Whitus quickly ran to the vehicle, got the door open and saw that the driver was in and out of consciousness, and very incoherent,” Lane said.

Lane said Whitus was able to physically remove the driver and drag him a safe distance away from the vehicle, just before the truck ignited and burst into flames.

“As the next arriving patrol units arrived, the vehicle was already fully-engulfed in flames. Deputy Whitus’s heroic actions and disregard for his own safety, most definitely saved this man’s life,” he said.

As of press time, Lane said the driver of the vehicle is still in the hospital badly injured, but is in stable condition.