Highway hero and Minnesota trooper reunited, honored

MANKATO, Minn. (KMSP) - After searching for a Good Samaritan who helped save a trucker's life, the Minnesota State Patrol has found their man. It turns out Paul Langseth and his wife were on their way to a Minnesota State Fair concert on Monday when he stopped and helped rescue a semi drive from a fiery crash.

Langseth may hesitate to admit it, but the State Patrol says his help Monday was remarkable.

"Paul was instrumental in getting him out," said State Patrol Sgt. Ron Richards. "There is no way I could have got him out alone."

Trooper Richards was directing traffic for a funeral procession on Highway 60 near Windom, Minn. when a semi failed to stop for traffic, slamming into another semi. The trucks were carrying soybean oil and a concrete bi-product called fly ash -- both non-flammable, but no one knew that at the time.

After getting his car and his wife to safety, Langseth helped Trooper Richards pull out the driver, who was trapped inside the crumbled cab.

"It needed to be done," said Langseth. "I'd like to think anyone else would have done the same."

Moments later, flames spread through the cab. The driver was cited for inattentive driving and is now recovering at home. He passed along this statement to the people who saved his life: "Without their help, I sincerely think I would not be here today."

He also thanked a couple of nurses and others who stopped to help

"It's just reaction," Langseth said. "You do what you can. If you read the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10, he just met the needs of what needed to be done at the time, and that's Minnesota."

Photos of Paul Langseth Minn. State Police. Photos of Crash: KMSP