Neighbor recalled trying to save car crash victims in Schoharie

SCHOHARIE, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Community members in the Village of Schoharie are mourning the loss of two people they said left a major impact, after they died in a one-car crash early Sunday morning on Rickard Hill Road. One neighbor recounted the moments he heard the car crash and how he tried to help.

“I just did it, I don’t know if an angel brought me to it and I was there,” said Stephen Salisbury.

Salisbury lives across the street from where a car veered off the road and crashed into a tree around 12:56 a.m. Sunday on Rickard Hill Road in Schoharie. He said he was getting ready to go to bed when the crash happened.

“I just laid down and I heard boom and I jumped up and ran out the back door and look out I’m like what? I looked out the front and I could see flames,” said Salisbury.

Salisbury said the flames came from the car, reaching at least 80 to 100 feet in the air and going all the way to the top of the tree. He, his girlfriend and another neighbor immediately went outside to try and help.

“I put my pants on and I ran out the door, I didn’t wait for anything else,” said Salisbury.

Salisbury said the driver of the car, Delwin Shaver was dead at the scene but the passenger, Sybil Laraway was calling for help.

“And I ripped the door open,” said Salisbury. “I pulled her out and we walked across and I was like I got you, I got you.”

According to Schoharie County Office of Emergency Services, the ambulance arrived within 13 minutes. Laraway was transported to Albany Medical Center where police said she unfortunately later died from her injuries.

“It was so depressing because I did my part, we couldn’t do nothing else,” said Salisbury.

Community members shared that nearly everyone in the village knew Laraway and Shaver. Workers at Clappers Glass Bar said the two of them were just there on Friday night. The workers enjoyed their company whenever they came around, describing the couple as funny and kind. The workers also added that the couple lived in the Schoharie area for a long time, moving to Florida for only a couple of years, and were now in the process of moving back to Schoharie.

The crash is still under investigation. Salisbury hoped that things would’ve ended differently.

“There’s good people in this world and I hope everybody starts throwing a hand in. A little bit helps,” said Salisbury.