Akron police call 2 men heroes for rescuing driver from burning Hummer moments before it blows up

AKRON, Ohio - Two men are being called heroes after pulling a driver from his burning Hummer moments before it exploded in Akron.

Around 2:30 Thursday morning, officers were notified of a crash on Route 224 westbound at South Main Street.

Police said the driver of a Hummer H2 went off the right side of the road, struck a guardrail and continued over an embankment before hitting a tree, flipping and catching on fire.

Two men driving home from work, Chris Ford and John Duckworth, spotted the burning vehicle and each man stopped to help.

"The guy was inside and the music playing real loud," Duckworth told NewsChannel5, "I went down and was communicating with him, banging on his window and talking to him." 

Duckworth then said, "I asked him if he was OK and he nodded yes."  He told NewsChannel5 a third person stopped to help and said, "... that's when we heard a pop and the flames started coming out and the smoke and that's when I grabbed my bat from my trunk."

Ford tried unsuccessfully to kick out the windshield until Duckworth told NewsChannel5 he returned from his vehicle a baseball bat he uses to play softball with.

Duckworth shattered the windshield and both men were then able to pull the driver, Min Nyi, to safety. Moments after they rescued Nyi, police said the Hummer exploded.

Nyi was taken to Akron General Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries and remains in stable condition. The two heroes, one from Seville and the other from Coventry, were treated at the scene by paramedics for cuts on their hands.

Akron police Lt. Rick Edwards said Nyi was cited for driving under suspension and reckless op.