MUNCIE — A Muncie man is being called a hero after quick thinking helped to save a baby trapped in an overturned car that crashed into a creek earlier this week.

Brandon Brooks, 25, had heard other cars crash in the creek behind his home over the years, but knew this one was different. He said he felt the earth shake and decided he needed to check out what had happened.

As he approached the overturned car, he saw a girl outside of it and a bloody man working to crawl out. Then he heard a baby screaming from inside the car.

“I heard that baby and had to get in there to get her out,” said Brooks.

He waded waist deep into the water and worked to quickly free the infant from her car seat in the back passenger side of the vehicle. Luckily, he was able to get her out.

“Her head was underwater, she was lifting herself up in the car seat to scream,” remembers Brooks.

Meanwhile Brandon’s uncle, Robert Brooks, had called the police. When he did so, the man who had been driving the car fled.

The driver, Brent Allen South, 27, was later captured by police and arrested. He is accused of stealing the car with the infant and a 13 year old girl inside and then crashing it, among other charges.

South was booked into the Delaware County Jail.

Source: WTHR