Arkansas River rescue

An 18-year old Airman home on leave is safe and warm with his family after jumping into the Arkansas River in Tulsa to save a woman and her baby from a sinking car Thursday. <br/><br/>News on 6 reporter

Thursday, December 23rd 2004, 12:45 pm

By: News On 6

An 18-year old Airman home on leave is safe and warm with his family after jumping into the Arkansas River in Tulsa to save a woman and her baby from a sinking car Thursday.

News on 6 reporter Heather Lewin says Tulsa Police still aren't certain why 34-year old Detura Bills' car swerved off Riverside Drive, down the embankment and into the river. Two Good Samaritans saw the wreck and stopped to help Bills. She got out, but her 2 year old son Brandon was still trapped in the car.

That's when Josh Johnson dove in and after several attempts in the dark, freezing water, managed to pull the child out of his car seat and swam to safety.

Josh Johnson: "Whoever it was needed help I didn't really care, I didn't know who was in the car or anything, I didn't really think about it, I didn't give it much thought, I just saw the car go in the river and I jumped in."

The woman, baby and rescuers where all rushed to the hospital and treated for shock. Johnson insists he's not a hero.

Moments before the wreck, he and his girlfriend were standing on the pedestrian bridge; Johnson surprised her with a ring, asked her to marry him, and then jumped in to save the baby. Of course she said yes.

Johnson is home on two weeks leave for Christmas, before heading back to an Air Force base in Biloxi, Mississippi. He and Brittany hope to get married the next time he's able to come home.