Spokane Valley Employees Honored for Lifesaving Rescue
Three AutoNation Subaru Spokane Valley workers received Lifesaving Awards for helping lift a rolled-over car off an injured woman.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Emergency Response
Austin Butcher, Christian Bilbrey and Justin Arndt, employees of AutoNation Subaru Spokane Valley, received Lifesaving Awards after helping free a woman pinned under a rolled Nissan Sentra. Butcher lifted the car with a long-handled hydraulic jack before fire crews could use their extrication unit.
Why it matters
The rescue shows how bystanders can shorten the time it takes to free a trapped crash victim. Fire officials said the employees' help cut the crew's extrication time by about 8 minutes.
The crew's response time was cut by about 8 minutes because of the employees' help. The woman suffered serious injuries and was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
The players
AutoNation Subaru Spokane Valley
A Spokane Valley car dealership and the employer of the three honored workers, part of the AutoNation automotive retail chain.
Cameron Smith
A captain with the Spokane Valley Fire Department who has served with the department for 17 years and nominated the three employees for the awards.
The details
A Nissan Sentra hit a curb and rolled several times near Appleway Boulevard and Farr Road, pinning the male driver and throwing a female passenger from the vehicle, where the car came to rest on her. The unconscious woman was lying near hot exhaust that appeared to be causing burns, and Butcher lifted the car off her with the jack at Capt. Cameron Smith's direction.
Timeline
About 2 p.m. on the crash day: Smith received the call for the Spokane Valley extrication.
- 2026-11-09
Article published honoring the three employees.
Emergency Response Context
Standard vehicle extrication relies on hydraulic rescue tools operated by trained crews, and this rescue shows a case where a civilian with a long-handled hydraulic jack supplemented that process. The approach shortened the crew's response by about 8 minutes.
Drivers involved in a rollover should stay in the vehicle unless it is unsafe, since trained crews and bystanders can use hydraulic tools to lift vehicles off trapped people. Anyone at a crash scene can call 911 and report the location, number of people trapped and any visible fire or fuel leaks.
The takeaway
Bystanders with the right tools can make a measurable difference before professional rescuers arrive. Knowing basic scene safety and calling emergency services quickly remains the most important step.
Further reading
Explore more emergency response coverage from across the region.
