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Man Thankful to Be Alive After Being Rescued in Flood

His SUV flipped over several times as it tumbled over rocks down a creek

A man thanked his lucky stars on Thursday after a good Samaritan pulled him out of his flipped SUV that was swept away in a rushing flood during a storm in Santa Clarita, California.

The man tried to drive through flood waters on Road Runner Road, just off Sand Canyon. Fortunately, a man delivering supplies in the neighborhood came along in time to help.

The rescuer, who didn't want his name used, climbed up on the overturned vehicle and used a rock to break a rear window. He pulled Margarito Martinez Hernandez from the vehicle and secured the Toyota with a rope so it didn't get carried further down the creek.

Hernandez, a gardener from North Hills, said in Spanish he didn't realize how deep the flood water was and thought he could drive through it. He said the SUV flipped over several times as it tumbled over rocks down the creek and he thought he was going to die.

He's grateful to the delivery man who rescued him. His boss, Dennis Neice, felt so bad about what happened, he bought him a used Toyota 4Runner as a replacement.

"The guy doesn't have anything," Neice said. "He's a good person, works hard."

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