CHICAGO — A sailor from Pittsburgh was one of four who raced into action when a car overturned at a toll ramp exit in Chicago on Nov. 11.
Four U.S. Navy sailors from the Surface Warfare Engineering School Command Great Lakes were returning to base after dinner when they spotted the overturned vehicle at the Buckley Road toll plaza exit ramp.
Among the four was Fireman Apprentice Evan McKenzie, a Pittsburgh native and electrician’s mate.
The 2025 Plum High School graduate and his fellow sailors — David Oxner, Dillon Weaver and Trevor Young — were in a rideshare when they noticed the crash.
“Weaver was the one who first saw the car and told our driver to pull over,” said Fireman Apprentice Oxner.
Upon arriving at the scene, the sailors found two occupants trapped inside the upside-down vehicle. Despite the doors being locked, they, along with two bystanders, managed to push the car onto its side to access the back trunk.
Oxner noted that one of the occupants appeared unconscious when they arrived, and he promptly called emergency services to report their location. Fireman Young climbed on top of the vehicle to assist, and by the time firefighters arrived, he was still inside the car checking on the occupants.
McKenzie explained that their efforts were hampered by a child car seat in the back, which made it difficult to extract the occupants through the rear hatch.
Young credited his Navy training for his ability to respond effectively, stating, “The Navy has trained me to take action. If you want to see something happen for the good, or if you just want to see change, you have to take action.”
Cmdr. Quentin Cooper, commanding officer of SWESC Great Lakes, praised the sailors’ actions, highlighting their demonstration of the Navy’s core values of honor, courage and commitment.
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