Heart-stopping moment a ‘drunk’ red-light runner just misses parents pushing their one-year-old son in a stroller across an intersection when another car crashed into him
- Family of three were saved from being hit by ‘drunk’ driver jumping a red light
- They were crossing road in Phoenix when a Jeep came careering towards them
- Moments before they were hit, a Chevy Cruz with right of way smashed into Jeep
This is the moment a couple pushing a stroller across the road were saved from being mowed down by a ‘drunk’ driver running a red light.
The family of three, including a one-year-old son in a stroller, were crossing the road in Phoenix, Arizona, when an SUV came careering towards them.
But just as the Jeep was moments from hitting the group, a woman driving a Chevy Cruz who had right of way, crashed into the side of the vehicle, changing its course and stopping it from plowing into the pedestrians.
Ulysses Betancourt, his wife Gabrielle and their son Damian were on the way to the grocery store after getting off a bus at around 10pm on October 14 when disaster was averted.
The moment the Chevy Cruz smashed into the Jeep driven by ‘drunk’ driver Ernesto Otanez Oveso, stopping it from hitting a family of three in Phoenix was captured on CCTV
Phoenix Police Department released video yesterday and said in a statement on Facebook: ‘A hero in the form of a Chevy Cruz may have saved the lives of a couple pushing a stroller through a Phoenix crosswalk.’
Ulysses’s sister, Abby Betancourt told ABC15: ‘He could’ve taken people’s family members away, innocent people. Why would you do such a thing?’
‘I’m so glad I’m going to see my brother. I love him and my sister-in-law.’
Behind the wheel of the Jeep was Ernesto Otanez Oveso who was driving under the influence at the time, police said.
After the accident, Oveso and a woman in the car got out and fled the scene.
When he noticed he was being followed by a witness, Oveso pulled a knife a stabbed at the car doors of the man tracking him, according to police.
Ulysses Betancourt, his wife Gabrielle and their one-year-old son Damian can be seen in the right of the pictured on the crosswalk as the Jeep jumped a red light and headed towards them. The Chevy Cruz can be seen coming from the left about to make its impact
The Jeep was just feet away from hitting the Betancourt family when the Chevy sent the Jeep out of their path
The 23-year-old was arrested on DUI and aggravated assault charges but despite a catalog of previous offences, Oveso was released just hours later, according to court records.
Officers also found a gun in the Jeep so an additional prohibited possession charge was added, police said.
The driver of that Chevy Cruz was a 27-year-old woman. While she did suffer injuries, they were not life-threatening, police said.
The female passenger with Oveso has not yet been located, police added.