Cops: Good Samaritans pull woman out of burning minivan on Southern State

A West Sayville woman whose minivan struck a tree and caught fire on the Southern State Parkway was rescued by two good Samaritans on Wednesday night, State Police said.

Nancy Brady, 58, was driving east of Exit 35 in the Town of Babylon at 8:29 p.m. in a 2004 Chrysler Pacifica when the minivan left the roadway, according to a State Police news release.

Christine and Karl Ott, both of Sayville, were on their way home from dinner in Farmingdale when they saw the minivan catch fire and immediately rushed to get Brady out, police said.

“My husband saw her white SUV hit a tree,” said Christine Ott. “I told him ‘you have to stop’ and we saw flames.”

The two got to Brady’s car, but could not open the driver's door, said Christine Ott, who works as a medical assistant.

Meanwhile, two other people arrived at the scene and one of them had a baseball bat, she said.

Karl Ott, 48, a former Sayville firefighter, said he broke the driver's side window to get to the incapacitated Brady out as the front of the vehicle caught fire and filled with smoke.

"I pulled the door wide open and my wife reached in and unbuckled her from the seat belt," he said. " … I was just trying to save the lady's life. You don't really have time to think. You see it and you try to save her life. Get her out of the car. And that's what we did."

The couple, along with the other good Samaritans, carried the woman away from the burning vehicle, he said.

"Three minutes later, the driver's side of the car went fully up in flames," said Karl Ott, who works for a medical transportation company. " … I'm glad I was able to get her out of the car and I hope she heals up and is good to go."

Brady was taken by a Suffolk County police helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of her injuries, State Police said.

State Police ask anyone who witnessed the incident or have information to call 631-756-3300.