Endglewood Florida has three heroes today

Two pull man from flaming car while third follows a suspect

By Kate Spinner
Published Wednesday, April 2, 2008 at 4:30 a.m.

ENGLEWOOD — Witnesses to a fatal crash on South McCall Road on Monday immediately jumped into the roles of rescue workers and law enforcement, resulting in the arrest of a man now charged with manslaughter, drunken driving and fleeing the scene of an accident.

William Tyson, 77, of Englewood died in the wreck on Monday, but not before Michael McCurry, 22, and Jeff Holland, 19 pulled him out of his burning car.

The accident occurred about 1:05 p.m. -- when Tyson steered his Crown Victoria into the right, westbound land of South McCall Road, near the intersection of Ibis Drive. Behind him, William Solomon, 43, was driving a Ford Taurus at high speed and switching lanes, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report.

Solomon slammed on the brakes, leaving skid marks in the roadway and crashing into Tyson's car. The impact was so powerful that Tyson was thrown into the back seat and a streak of fire followed the car, igniting it before it hit a power pole, according to an account by McCurry.

Meanwhile, McCurry and Holland, who had stopped at the nearby Citgo to buy drinks before heading to Englewood Beach, saw Solomon flee, leaving behind his seriously injured passenger, Monica Brown, 47, of North Port, according to the FHP.

McCurry and Holland also noticed that the driver of the burning car was not getting out. They rushed to the car and pulled Tyson from the back seat just as emergency crews arrived.

Tyson later died at Englewood Community Hospital.

Meanwhile, a woman that witnesses said was in her late 50s or early 60s had followed Solomon and used a borrowed cell phone to report that he had entered Oscar's Pizza.

"I'm really thankful that she actually did that," McCurry said, appalled that Solomon left his passenger alone beside a burning car.


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