WASHINGTON — A D.C. National Guard soldier’s quick thinking and training proved lifesaving when she rescued a teenage driver trapped in a car after a devastating crash near Annapolis, Md.

U.S. Army Spc. Ruth Arias, a military police officer with the 273rd Military Police Company, was heading home from work when she witnessed a car veer off the road, strike a pole, and crash into the woods. What happened next was a testament to the soldier’s readiness and courage.

“I pulled over immediately and got out of my car to help,” she recalled.

Dressed in uniform, Spc. Arias quickly assessed the situation. Smoke was rising from the vehicle, and the driver appeared unconscious, slumped over the steering wheel. Together with a bystander, she worked to break the car’s window to free the teen, whose injuries included severe bleeding and chest pain.

Moments after moving the driver to a safer area in a nearby parking lot, Spc. Arias said the car erupted into flames. “It happened so quickly,” she said. “I kept thinking, ‘What if we hadn’t gotten him out in time?’”

Drawing on her Army Combat Lifesaver Course (CLS), she stabilized the teen while waiting for emergency responders. Using a belt as a makeshift tourniquet, she stopped the bleeding and monitored his injuries.

“The training we receive in the Guard really came into play,” she said. “You learn to act quickly and use whatever resources are available to you. In that case it was a belt.”

Army CLS covers emergency tourniquet use, blood control due to gunshots, explosions or other trauma, securing an airway, wound care, splinting, and other lifesaving procedures beyond the level of self-aid or buddy aid. The actions of Spc. Arias underscores the importance of rigorous training that instills a mindset of readiness and adaptability in every soldier and the ability to respond to emergencies no matter where they happen.

The teenager’s injuries appeared to be severe, but they survived—a fact that Spc. Arias attributes to her quick response.

“My goal that entire time was to keep the teen conscious and prevent further injury until the ambulance arrived,” she said.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Terry Macon, a Human Resources Technician in the Mississippi Army National Guard, currently stationed in the District, praised Spc. Arias’s actions as heroic and reflective of the organization’s values.

“Her willingness to assist in such a dire moment shows the kind of person and soldier she is,” he said. “She’s always willing to help and never backs down from a challenge.”

Having worked with Spc. Arias for a few years, Staff Sgt. Macon said he wasn’t surprised by her willingness to help and spring into action. He’s seen her do so at work.

“She never backs down from a challenge and she’s always willing to grow and learn as not only a soldier, but also as an individual as well.”

Spc. Arias credits the D.C. National Guard for preparing her to handle high-stress situations.

“We train for emergencies, but you never know when those skills will be needed in real life,” she said. “That day, it was about putting the mission first…and that mission was saving a life.”

While the teen’s name and condition remain private due to his age, his survival is a testament to Spc. Arias’s bravery and the National Guard’s commitment to being “Always Ready, Always There.”

“I was in the right place at the right time,” she reflected. “But more importantly, I was ready to act.”