A missed freeway exit may have been the saving grace for two women who were struck by a motorist while walking their dogs along Lathrop Road on Wednesday.

Current Lathrop Manteca Fire District Interim Fire Chief Josh Capper was on his way to work Wednesday morning when he missed the turnoff for the Crosstown Freeway in Stockton – choosing to drive up to Lathrop Road and drive down instead of getting back on the freeway.

The decision proved to be a fateful one as Capper ended up coming across the accident scene where two women, who were walking the length of the Tidewater Bikeway and crossing Lathrop Road, were badly injured after being struck by a vehicle. As the first on scene and with only basic life support equipment with him, Capper – who is certified as a paramedic – began tending to the injuries while additional EMS personnel arrived.

According to the Manteca Police Department, the driver of the vehicle stopped and was cooperative with investigators, and the two women are expected to survive.

When asked about what led to the more favorable outcome, Capper was succinct.

“Teamwork,” said Capper, who had triaged both patients as “immediate” and called for an additional ambulance for transport. “This call was in the City of Manteca – I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

“The ability to have good relationships with our neighbors, and that four agencies came together very quickly, delivered the best patient care possible to these two.”

And it’s not the first time than an off-duty member of the agency has encountered an accident and leapt into action to render aid.

Several months ago, Lathrop Manteca Engineer Juan Fortuny earned accolades from his peers after he and his wife Sharleen stopped to provide assistance to a truck driver that was involved in a nasty accident on the Highway 120 Bypass. With no safety gear or equipment, Fortuny climbed through the tangled metal of the wreck to reach the driver of the truck and provide potentially life-saving care.

Capper, a longtime employee of the Lathrop Manteca Fire District, was picked by the district’s board of directors to run the day-to-day operations of the district after longtime fire chief Gene Neely retired in the middle of an investigation into a number of complaints against him.

There is currently a search for a fulltime replacement to lead the growing district – which covers a populated area that is expected to double in size once all the proposed homes have been constructed.

To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.