Emotional reunion between Good Samaritan and victims' family of Merced Co. deadly car crash

MERCED COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- On Thursday afternoon, a car was submerged in 4 feet of water in a small canal in Merced County.

Within seconds, several bystanders jumped in to help overturn the car alongside the CHP Los Banos Division.

One of those Good Samaritans returned to the scene on Friday and was met with an unexpected and heartbreaking reunion with one of the victim's family members and a bystander who jumped in to help.

"I'm sorry for your loss," said 24-year-old Diego Carrillo.

"Thank you so much," said Cellena Arcadia, a family member of the victims involved in the deadly crash.

"I hope you know everybody did what they could have done. We tried our best, no hesitation. We ran in there," said Carrillo.

Arcadia and Carrillo - two strangers who shared an unexpected emotional embrace -- one part grief, the other part gratitude.

"It was my cousin, the driver; then my brother and my sister-in-law," said Arcadia.

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Carrillo.

"So three family members all at one time. We just want to thank who every helped," said Arcadia.

Less than 24 hours ago - the Los Banos native was among a group of bystanders who jumped into a canal to overturn the submerged car off H Street and Overland Avenue in Los Banos.

"I don't even know what got into me. I just hopped in. I didn't even think twice," said Carrillo.

Action and adrenaline motivated Carrillo as the chaos unfolded in the canal.

"My friend, Brayden hopped in there right away and I hoped in right after him and we got to pushing the car. At that point we had about five of us including the police officer," said Carrillo.

Officers with CHP Los Banos described the scene as more and more individuals helped without hesitation.

"There were at least 2 other people in with him when they were trying to get ready to move the car. And he said, all of a sudden it felt like more people kept jumping in. He said they were able to get the car on its side. He said it was kind of amazing," said Ofc. Shannon Stiers of CHP Los Banos Division.

The family identified the victims as 60-year-old Valerie Cintora, 60-year-old Guy Arcadia, and 60-year-old Julia Renee Ordunez.

Carrillo shared the silver lining with a grieving Arcadia in the midst of tragedy.

"As sad as it is, it was also very beautiful to see the sense of community, everybody trying to help out. Nobody hesitated," said Carrillo,

"We appreciate that, from the bottom of my heart," said Arcadia.

"I'd do it again," said Carrillo.

From the Ordunez Family, we appreciate you, guys," said Arcadia.

The family is leaning on each other in this time of grief. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

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