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Ogden •When Jason Navarro received a knife for Father's Day from his wife, he dismissed it as another one to add to his collection and tossed it into his work truck.
Little did he know that a few weeks later, he'd be using it to help save Heidi Orosco's life.
Orosco was driving north on Interstate 15 Monday morning when her car rolled off the side of the road near milepost 361.
Bob Nicholson, who was driving behind Orosco, said during a Wednesday press conference he saw her swerve into his lane and overcorrect before driving off the road . He stopped along with Navarro to help and immediately called 911, both running down to Orosco's car.
Navarro opened the rear passenger door and saw Orosco trapped upside down, held in place by her seatbelt, with her legs trapped under the steering wheel.
Just then, the car began filling with water. Navarro thought a cooler had tipped over, but the car had actually rolled into a drainage ditch, posing even more danger for the trapped driver.
"At the time, we didn't know she was in a drainage ditch," Navarro said.
The water filled the car quickly, completely submerging Orosco's head. Navarro thought fast, running back to his car to grab the knife, with which he intended to cut her loose from the seatbelt.
When he got to the top of the hill, he saw a passing highway patrol car and jumped up and down until Trooper Alex Williams pulled over.
Williams ran down to the car and saw Orosco hanging upside down with her head underwater. He reached inside the car and cut the seatbelt strap with Navarro's knife.
The trooper pulled her out of the water as much as possible onto the passenger's side of the car, but she wasn't breathing or responding to him.
Navarro then began helping Williams bail water from the car to keep Orosco from drowning while her legs were still trapped. The two impromptu rescuers developed a silent understanding in a hectic situation.
"You've just got to react, that's all you can do," Navarro said.
Around 20 seconds after pulling her out of the water, Orosco gurgled and gasped in a huge gulp of air, Williams said.
She was alive, thanks to some Good Samaritans, an off-duty highway patrolman and a knife.
Orosco underwent surgery at Ogden Regional Medical Center, where she was listed in stable condition Wednesday.
Williams, a 22-year law enforcement veteran, said a job filled with traffic stops and arrests can become monotonous and negative, but days like Monday reaffirm why he is a highway patrol trooper.
"When an incident like this comes along and you're able to make a difference in someone's life, it rejuvenates you and makes you understand that this is why you're here," Williams said.