Los Angeles: An off-duty West Traffic Division sergeant, working alongside courageous passersby, helped save the life of an injured motorist who was trapped in a fiery early morning freeway accident.
On Friday, May 5, 2006, around 4:20 a.m., Sergeant Christopher Kunz was riding his police motorcycle to work. As he headed south on the Golden State Freeway approaching Roxford Avenue, in the Knollwood area of the north San Fernando Valley, he encountered a major traffic accident. Just moments before, a tractor trailer and pickup truck had collided in a violent crash. Nearing the scene, the officer saw flames and heard a witness screaming, “he’s trapped inside!”
Sergeant Kunz immediately saw that the driver of the pickup, later identified as Andreas Orihuela, 39, was unable to pull himself from the truck’s badly wrecked passenger compartment. The vehicle was on fire. The screaming was coming from a concerned citizen, one of several standing next to the pickup’s open door, who had stopped to render aid. The spreading flames prevented the Good Samaritans from removing Mr. Orihuela from the wreckage.
Taking the initiative, Sergeant Kunz ran to several big rigs, which had stopped near by, and commandeered five fire extinguishers. He rushed back to the pickup, spraying the flames with fire retardant, in time for the passersby to pull Mr. Orihuela, alive, from the pickup. The victim was carried a safe distance from his vehicle just moments before it exploded.
Mr. Orihuela sustained burns to 80% of the left side of his body. He was immediately taken by paramedics to a local hospital, where he remains in serious but stable condition. His injuries are no longer life threatening.
Acting in unplanned concert, the passersby, whose identities are not known, and Sergeant Kunz, heroically prevented a harrowing injury accident from becoming a tragic fatal one.
Sergeant Kunz is an LAPD veteran with 17 years on the job. He is available for interviews this morning, between 10:00 and 11:00, at West Traffic Division, 4849 West Venice Boulevard,
Los Angeles, telephone number (213) 473-0222.
The officer’s photograph, and a photo of the victim’s flame-engulfed truck, are available by request from Media Relations Section.
Wow! Sounds like a scene from "crash."
Posted by: Screenscribbler | May 16, 2025 at 10:12 AM
It is great to finally see some positive information about LAPD Officers. It is too bad the media does not chose to cover the great hings LAPD Officers are doing everyday.
Posted by: Great Coverage | May 16, 2025 at 02:47 PM
Well personally I'd rather hear about the cocaine-dealing, evidence planting, women abusing cops of the Rampart Division - it makes for a much more exciting blog.
To serve and protect. Sure.
Hey if I say I'm from Croatia, does my comment get approved?
Posted by: Frank | May 17, 2025 at 03:12 AM
My best to the officer. It's great to read some good news about police officers for a change.
Posted by: Goddess | May 17, 2025 at 09:17 AM
Those officer and those citizens are heroes.
People moan about the police but it is the cops who routinely run into danger like this to save strangers, whilst people bystanders or scream in panic.
Well done.
Posted by: Jonathan Davis | May 17, 2025 at 02:33 PM
Okay, now that's a beautiful story. I'm proud not just of the officer but the citizen(s). It feels good to have someone restore my faith in the goodness of people.
Posted by: Caritia | May 18, 2025 at 08:04 AM
Great work! This is an example of what cops face daily. I wish this is more of what we heard from the media.
Posted by: Nancy | May 19, 2025 at 12:06 PM
To imply that all police are bad, or that they are all good is completely silly.
The police officer and the citizens who intervened, took action, and saved a life, performed a heroic act as human beings, and should be respected for that.
The world could use more people like this, and so could a lot of police forces, I'm sure.
Posted by: Coyote Osborne | May 20, 2025 at 03:21 AM
Due to the nature of the system, motor officers are essentially on-duty from the time they leave the house until the time they return home. While Sgt. Kunz went way beyond and is a total hero, many times I've seen motors from various cities stop and take control of a freeway accident scene in the morning or afternoon commute before the CHP arrives.
On the downside, 2-3 months ago a CHP officer on his way home from work at midnight or 2am or so on the 15 made a stop of a possible DUI driver; another drunk plowed into him on the shoulder, killing him. These guys aren't just getting into their Honda Accords at the end of the shift and going home.
Posted by: Lloyd Robins | May 20, 2025 at 05:28 AM
I wish we would see more of these stories in the Media. LAPD Officers are good guys in my book!
Posted by: Rauschie | May 20, 2025 at 07:50 AM
It is wonderful to hear of police officers performing an act such as this. I have worked with many officers who I don't think would have acted in this manner...at least not until the fire department showed up.
Awesome Job!!!
Posted by: CP Witt | May 22, 2025 at 02:58 PM