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Officers Save Good Samaritan Struck By DUI Suspect

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A man trying to be a good Samaritan to stranded motorists was struck by a suspected drunk driver along Highway 50 in Sacramento.

"I'm just glad I was there to make sure he's still alive," said California Highway Patrol Officer Wade Ames. "It's one of those things that stick with you."

If it weren't for Ames, time would have run out for Mark Poss.

"I was just doing my job," said Ames, "I was just doing the best I could."

Poss has a wife and 1-year-old child. He was on his way home from work in Vacaville late Saturday night on Highway 50 when he saw a car stranded on the 16th Street offramp.

Poss pulled over to help push them down the ramp to a gas station.

"He's always willing to lend a hand," said Jennifer Martinez, Poss' co-worker and friend, "This event is not out of his character. This is something Mark would normally do."

She says everyone, including Mark and his wife, is still trying to process what happened next.

"He was struck by the car, and he went flying," said Martinez.

A suspected drunk driver slammed into the back of the car Poss was helping to push.

"His left leg was missing," said Ames, describing how he found Mark.

Poss was conscious, but bleeding profusely.

"I pulled out a tourniquet and applied the tourniquet to his leg to stop the bleeding," said Ames, "the scene was pretty chaotic."

Mark lost both his legs below the knee. But thanks to Ames' quick thinking, Mark's time isn't up.

"That kindness is what we need, and I think that's the silver lining of something so tragic," said Martinez.

Ames stopped by the hospital to meet with Poss and his wife. He says Poss was in good spirits and they exchanged phone numbers.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help mark and his family with the costs of his recovery in three days, they've raised $115,000.

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