Benjamin Wootson, an off-duty firefighter with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, was running late for his son’s soccer practice when he found himself in the right place at the right time. That Saturday morning, he saw a 33-year-old sheriff’s deputy who needed help.

Matthew Luxon of the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office suffered a medical emergency at 10:30 a.m. while driving in Sanford, Florida. According to the sheriff’s office, the deputy hit a concrete pillar. Wootson saw the whole thing unfold. Sheriff Dennis Lemma of the Orlando Fire Department said, “I thank God he was there at that time.”

Wootson told WFTV-TV he was running late getting his son to soccer practice that morning. He remembered seeing a sheriff’s cruiser coming in his direction and saw the patrol car slam into a pillar supporting the overpass when he looked in his rearview mirror.

Saturday morning, SCSO Deputy Matthew Luxon suffered a medical emergency believed to have caused him to crash in to concrete pillar at Orange Blvd. and Wayside Dr. in Sanford. Off duty @OrlandoFireDept Lt. Benjamin Woodson rescued him just before the vehicle caught fire. (Cont) pic.twitter.com/NwRHXPx5Ck

— Seminole County S.O. (@SeminoleSO) March 26, 2023

The firefighter said, “I immediately pulled a U-turn at the next intersection and rushed back. By the time I got on scene, there was a little bit of flames underneath the vehicle; the engine compartment was already on fire.” In a separate interview, Wootson said he saw “two golf ball size flames” where Luxon’s legs were. When he pulled the deputy out of the car, he said the vehicle went up in flames.

Once Wootson and Luxon were safe, Wootson used his radio to call for help. In a statement, Lemma said, “Matt had successful surgeries into the late hours. But make no mistake; he has a long road to recovery ahead of him. The support of our Seminole County and the greater Central Florida community will help Matt pull through now and into the immediate future.”

Lemma also spoke of Wootson’s courage, saying, “I also spoke with Orlando Fire Department Lt. Benjamin Wootson, who heroically rescued Matt from his patrol unit moments after his crash and just before the unit caught fire. Lt. Wootson, who was off duty and also very kind when we spoke, simply reminded me that ‘this is what we do.'”

For his part, Wootson sees his location as nothing short of divine intervention. He said, “God put me there in a place where my son and I were running late on purpose. I was in the right place at the right time to save an individual.”