JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — J. Turner Butler Boulevard was shut down for hours around 8 p.m. July 1 when a crash turned deadly after a car caught fire. 

Jacksonville Fire Rescue said one person was killed in the crash and another rushed to the hospital in critical condition.

However, first responders said the second person likely would not have made if not for the actions of Ash Lawley, who they’re calling a hero after she pulled the woman out of the burning car and to safety.

Lawley spoke with First Coast News Friday, saying she saw the crash happen and made a choice to take matters into her own hands.

“My adrenaline started rushing, then I started getting that feeling of fight or flight, airbags were deployed so I couldn’t see in the car yet,” Lawley said. “The front door wasn’t opening. I started panicking asking if they could open it but they were very much not here…she was in and out talking but asking for help.”

With all her strength Lawley was able to break the passenger window, freeing the woman from her restraint, but the woman couldn’t move.

“The flames had gotten bigger, I didn’t know how I was going to do it I saw she was hurt,” Lawley said. “I tried to get her on my back and I couldn’t. So, the only thing I knew to do was to drag her.”

Lawley then tried to pull the other person to safety. 

“I tried to get the other person out, but I couldn’t. At all,” Lawley said. “There was no way I could pull her out. The flames started taking over more and so the best of my ability I had to choose between this situation and if I can get this other person away from the vehicle.”

Lawley made a difficult decision and pulled the passenger up the embankment to safety.

“At this point I’m out of breath screaming help,” Said Lawley. “Nobody is stopping just driving by.”

When Lawley turned back, the car was fully engulfed – with no way to get the driver out.

“She just kept saying my friend, can you save my friend?” Lawley said. “I go through waves of grief for a person I don’t even know and I go through shock for the events that took place, so I have moments where I sporadically start crying, I have images in my head I don’t know how to process yet.”

The passenger was taken to Memorial Hospital in critical condition.