jbulger@journalnet.com

POCATELLO - The good Samaritan who saved an unconscious Fort Hall woman from almost certain death when her SUV burst into flames following an Aug. 20 accident on Interstate 15 was honored by the Idaho State Police on Friday.

Jorgan Peterson, 30, of Meridian, was presented the certificate of appreciation by ISP Capt. Bill Gardiner after he was lured to Pocatello on the pretense of a mandatory business appointment.

"He thought he was coming down for a meeting," said Peterson's wife, Becca. "Otherwise, he wouldn't have come. He doesn't like to toot his own horn."

So ISP Capt. Eric Dayley did the horn-tooting for Peterson.

Dayley told how Peterson and a still-unidentified truck driver came to the aid of 24-year-old Ruby Ann Green.

Green attended the ceremony with her two young children and mother.

"Clearly, if Ruby hadn't been pulled from that car, she wouldn't be here today," Dayley said.

Peterson previously described how Green's tire blew, causing her to lose control of her vehicle.

Peterson said Green's vehicle pulled hard to the right and then to the left before it went into the median and began to roll.

Peterson stopped his car and ran through the median to the unconscious Green's 1994 Isuzu Rodeo.

"I tried to get her door open, was trying to get in to her," he said. "I didn't want to move her, but I saw there were some flames underneath the car."

The driver of a semitrailer stopped and came to assist Peterson.

"I got her seat belt undone from the driver's side (but) couldn't get the door open. It was pretty crunched up," Peterson said.

Peterson and the trucker then went to the vehicle's passenger side, grabbed the unconscious Green and pulled her through the window.

"Shortly after that, the whole thing went up," Peterson said.

Peterson recounted Friday how he spoke with the semi-conscious Green while her vehicle "was completely engulfed in flames."

"I know she doesn't remember, but we sat there and talked about her kids," he said.

Green was taken to Portneuf Medical Center, treated and released that same day.

"I'm glad you're safe," Peterson said to Green Friday. "You look great."

Peterson remained humble about his heroics.

"They made it sound like I was running through flames," he said. "That wasn't it at all."

As alluded to by Peterson, Green has few memories of the event.

"I just remember something happening," she said. "Then I woke up in the ambulance."

Dayley joshed with Peterson about his bit of fame before the ceremony began.

"Just practice - 'Hi, Matt and Meredith.' You'll do fine," he said, jokingly referring to "Today" show hosts Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira.

As the ceremony wrapped up, Becca Peterson smiled at her husband as he grudgingly gave interviews to media representatives.

"I'm proud of him," she said. "I wasn't surprised when I heard he had done it."