349th pilot first to respond in local accident

Published Aug. 9, 2013
By 2nd Lt. Jessica Brown
22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. -- When a SUV flipped on Kellogg Road in Wichita, Kan., Aug 3, 2013, a pilot from the 349th Air Refueling Squadron quickly reacted as the first bystander to respond to the scene.

First Lieutenant Bradley Sutton and his mother-in-law were nearby on the roadside fixing issues with their rental vehicle when high-pitched squeals from vehicle tires caught his attention.

"When I looked up, I saw a Yukon rolling and thought, 'They're going to need my help,'" said Sutton.

As he approached the overturned vehicle, all its windows had been blown out and personal items were strewn about. The next thing he noticed was the driver hunched over, barely moving and an empty infant's car seat in the backseat.

"I couldn't see or hear the baby," said Sutton. "I asked the driver if there was a child in the vehicle, and he was unable to respond."

Sutton quickly assessed the driver and noted that he seemed stable.

"After a few seconds, the man was able to move and look around," said Sutton. "He was still not able to say if there was anyone else in the car, and that was my biggest concern."

Without hesitating, Sutton climbed through the passenger side backseat in search of an infant. He said he searched beneath all the rubble and personal items.

"There were baby toys everywhere, and I saw these little shoes," he said. "I was worried that he might have been ejected from the vehicle."

After a minute of searching, Sutton overheard a group of other bystanders also addressing the driver about a child, and he heard the driver say the baby had not been in the vehicle at all.

"I think everyone was really relieved to hear that the baby was safe," said Sutton.

Sutton made his way back to the front of the vehicle and stayed with the driver for a few more minutes, knowing that help was on the way.

"One other bystander and I discussed the possibility of moving him," Sutton said. "We decided we didn't want to risk further injury. We tried to make him comfortable and reassured him the emergency responders were on their way."

It took less than five minutes for the ambulance and fire trucks to arrive. Sutton made his way out of the vehicle. After exiting the vehicle, he realized his hands, arms, knees and shins were covered in glass.

Previous to the accident, Sutton returned from Derby City's 5K "Shell 77" memorial run, honoring fallen fellow Airmen, and was only wearing a t-shirt, running shorts and tennis shoes.

"I didn't even notice all the glass and my blood because I was so focused on getting them the help they needed," said Sutton. "Yes, I got myself a few cuts, but ultimately, my priority was for the safety of the driver and the passengers."

Sutton attributes his calm and collected response to the training he's received while in the Air Force.

"We receive bystander training, first aid and CPR training annually," he said. "My squadron also recently had a guest speaker who told us about how he was saved by a bystander after an almost fatal car accident."

Sutton did not hesitate as he ran to help the injured driver, and said he would probably do the same if he had to do it all over again.

"Lieutenant Sutton's quick thinking and swift response is testament to his character," said Lt. Col. Stephen Matthews, 349th ARS commander. "Brad knew what had to be done and took action to help others in a critical time of need. He was a "Wingman" in action at exactly the right moment, and we are very proud of him."