It only took Martin Mares a split second to decide he would go from being a bystander, to someone making a difference in a disaster.
The Oxnard man saw a small plane crash in Santa Paula, and made some split second decisions which saved the man's life.
"It was torture just seeing someone burning, and that's why I wanted to get to him quickly," said Mares. "That was the first thing on my mind, getting the flames off of him."
He felt he was meant to be there. He was the right person in the right place at the right time. On August 25, he was on Highway 126 headed to Santa Paula to play paintball.
"I actually missed the exit on the 126," said Mares. "I had to turn back around. From the time I turned around, as soon as I was crossing a bridge, that's when the plane went over my truck. It was really loud, and it was pretty low...maybe 300 feet. He was going really fast, and I just heard the explosion, and looked over to my left, and sure enough it was in flames."
He got off the highway, and headed towards the flames in an industrial area off 12th street, near Santa Paula Airport. A stunt biplane known as a Pitts Special flown by Graham Pollock of Santa Paula had crashed.
"Unfortunately, my first reaction was I have to take a picture of this," said Mares. "I went to get my phone, and I'm looking at this burning plane, and Graham comes out from the plane as it's on fire, and he's on fire. I'm like...this guy is still alive. You can't just stay there and not do anything."
There was a barbed wire fence separating Mares, and the burning man. He’s an iron worker and welder, so fortunately, he and something in his truck which would help. Another man and his son had also stopped. Mares laid his welders jacket on top of the barbs, so he could climb through. The three of them stretched the wires enough that he could get through without getting stuck.
The other man had a fire extinguisher he passed through the fence. Mares then ran about 80 yards to the injured pilot, whose clothes were still burning.
"I ran to him, I got to him. There were just parts that were on fire," said Mares. He was really burned, he was really hurt."
He sprayed the burning clothes carefully, trying to avoid burnt flesh, and took off the man's burning sneakers.
The heat from the fire was intense, and Mares worried the wreckage might explode, so he decided he needed to drag the 25-year-old pilot away from the flames.
After apologizing for the pain it was causing, he got Pollock to safety.
Mares admits he wasn’t sure what to do next.
"I said 'Hey man, help is here, help is here.' Then, there was the cutest thing. He asked me to call his girlfriend. I was like awww...man....maybe this may not be the best time?," said Mares. "Then I started looking at his body, and saw his whole body was burned. I just told him motivational words. 'You're going to make it, you're not going to die.'"
More help came quickly. The pilot was flow to a Ventura Hospital, and then taken to a burn unit in Los Angeles, where he’s reported to be in serious, but stable condition.
Authorities call Mares a hero, for putting out the flames on the burning man and then moving his to safety.
"It feels good," said Mares. "More than anything, Graham saved his life, by finding the strength to pull himself out of that wreckage. I was just a guy that were there to help him on the way."
Martin Mares feels he was meant to be there to help. If he hadn’t missed his turnoff on Highway 126, if he didn’t have his welding jacket with him, the story might have had a much different ending.
He’s hoping to meet Pollock when the pilot has recovered from his injuries.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
