Good Samaritan helps rescue 3 people from fiery crash: ‘You have to keep calm in chaos’

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF/Gray News) - A South Carolina man helped rescue three people who were involved in a crash this week on a busy highway in the Surfside Beach area.

Good Samaritan Joseph Moreau, a manager at Bonefish Grill, heard the moment three cars crashed Thursday afternoon on Highway 17 near the restaurant, saying it sounded like a big bang.

Moreau ran through a marshy ditch to get to the highway to help.

He saw a couple trapped inside one of the cars and jumped into action.

“An older gentleman rolled down his window and said, ‘I can’t get the door open; I can’t get the door open,” Moreau said.

He pried open one of the doors and pulled the couple to safety just before the car caught fire.

Moreau also told someone to get a fire extinguisher from the restaurant while he helped save a third person from another car.

Right after the couple got out, that’s when Moreau said the tires exploded.

Horry County Fire Rescue and the Horry County Police Department also responded to the scene.

First responders said one person was taken to the hospital for their injuries but is expected to survive.

Moreau isn’t calling himself a hero and instead calling the rescue a team effort.

“It always takes a team. I think it’s tough to put that on me. I think it was a group of good Samaritans that helped the community and not just me alone,” he said.

Moreau did say that being a restaurant manager prepares him for high-stress situations.

“I thrive in chaos, that’s kitchen work in general, that’s restaurant work in general. You have to keep calm in chaos,” he said.

Speaking of the restaurant, that’s where Moreau said the couple he helped rescue was headed before the crash. He said the couple had made reservations for dinner.

Moreau’s boss at Bonefish Grill said he couldn’t be prouder of him. Moreau has worked at the restaurant for about two years.

The South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

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