Good Samaritan's split second decision to help stranger saw him end up with leg amputated

Yevhenii Arsirii, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was one of two Good Samaritans helping a man whose car had run out of fuel when a driver ploughed into them, pinning him between the cars

A Good Samaritan who made a split second decision to stop and help a stranded driver was left needing his leg amputated.

31-year-old Yevhenii Arsirii of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was on his way home from the gym when he noticed a man pushing his car up the street after it ran out of fuel. He and another Good Samaritan who stopped to help had been talking with the driver about "love and compassion" as they moved the car when another driver crashed into him.

Tydaijah Sade Lashone Murray, 29, allegedly crashed into the group from behind, trapping Yevhenii between the two vehicles. Horrifyingly, when he looked down, he noticed both his legs had "broken off."

Police have now launched a manhunt for the woman who fled the scene just after midnight on August 11. After the driver allegedly smashed into him, police say she got out of her car and walked away.

Fort Lauderdale Police said they have "an active arrest warrant for the suspect. However, FLPD has been unable to locate Murray since." Yevhenii was severely injured in the crash, and had to have one of his legs amputated while doctors worked to save the other.

Yevhenii spent two months in hospital before being allowed to return home in October, however, by November he was back in hospital "fighting another battle", according to a gofundme set up by his family. A new infection meant he had to undergo another "gruelling" six-hour surgery, during which surgeons implanted a temporary metal rod to ensure his bones were properly fixed.

But in a recent update from December 11, his family shared that Yevhenii was "back home for now". They said he was expected to stay home until the beginning of January, when he will return for more treatment. They added: "Emotionally, this journey has been extremely tough for Yevhenii and for all of us. He's exhausted - physically and emotionally but he remains hopeful and determined to move forward."

"It's been difficult," explained Yevhenii. "If I'm still here, there's probably a reason for that." He added that he's trying to stay positive, but admitted that it isn't always easy, saying: "I'm just in the middle of recovery. I am angry but all of this negative emotions I need to work on them because they can hurt me right now."

Murray, who is being hunted by cops, had two prior criminal misdemeanour cases involving traffic incidents in 2018 and 2019, according to local media. In 2018, she tried to avoid being pulled over and crashed into the back of a home and damaged the gate of another home, with the charges later dropped.

Then in 2019, she was involved in another crash where she also fled the scene. In August 2020, she was arrested after being pulled over, according to The Sun-Sentinel, and was handed three months probation and ordered to complete an aggressive driving course.

The crash and following surgeries and treatments has left Yevhenii in thousands of dollars of medical bill debt with his family explaining that "his Medicaid and disability applications are still pending approval... so all medical costs continue to come out of his own pocket." Speaking to NBC6 after the crash, Yevhenii said: "I'm feeling pain, I'm feeling anxious and sadness. I would say to this person to at least pay the bill."