Boynton Beach man who lost leg in crash says it was worth it to save another man’s life

DELRAY BEACH —

His right leg was amputated, his left foot is fractured and he’s spent weeks confined to a hospital room, away from his wife and four kids.

But Angel Soto Jr., who lost his leg in October after being crushed between two vehicles as he was aiding a victim of another wreck, said he’d do it all over again if it meant saving another person’s life.

Losing a limb is traumatic, but having helped save the life of Boynton Beach resident Alexander Proscurshim was well worth it, Soto said on Monday, the first time he spoke publicly about the accident.

Proscurshim was sitting by his crashed Nissan pickup in the 3200 block of Old Boynton Road just west of North Congress Avenue, bleeding from his head. Soto extended his arm to help Proscurshim stand and walk away from the vehicle. Seconds later, David Plotkin’s Porsche slammed into the pickup, shredding Soto’s right leg.

“I think it would have been a very tragic end for Alex,” Soto said during a press conference, where he sat in a wheelchair with his wife Eileen nearby.

Proscurshim, interviewed a few days after the crash, said the fact that Soto stopped to help a stranger in need was remarkable.

“He didn’t have to stop, most people don’t stop. I just think this speaks to who this man is and his character,” he said.

While Soto is glad to be alive, his road to recovery will be long and painful. His doctors have told him he needs to learn how to support his body on his left leg before he can learn how to walk using a prosthetic leg. But all that can’t be accomplished until Soto’s fractured foot heals.

Besides his visible injuries, Soto also has to heal emotionally, said trauma surgeon Dr. Gene Rodriguez, who first cared for Soto when he was wheeled in to Delray Medical Center’s emergency room.

“It’s going to be a hard one,” Rodriguez said.

Soto vividly remembers almost every detail of that day, when he was heading home with his wife after finishing up the week’s laundry.

He remembers hearing a “bang” near Old Boynton Road and telling his wife to wait in the car while he approached the crash site to see if there were any injuries. He then encouraged Proscurshim to stand up and talk to him, and looked into the car for any additional victims.

Soto remembers laying on the Porsche’s hood, blood all over him, as Proscurshim told Soto not to look down at his leg. When he did, “it was a bloody mess.”

“The car came and hit so hard that i could not feel my legs,” Soto said.

Soto also remembers waking up to a leg full of stitches and bandages. A few days ago, he took a first look at what’s left of his right leg, a stump just above the knee that will eventually fit a prosthesis.

The stitches and staples together form a smiley face, Soto said. “It’s kind of cute.”

Despite his positive attitude, Soto said he felt angry at Plotkin for being careless behind the wheel, and added he thought Plotkin was texting or using his phone at the time. Boynton Beach Police spokeswoman Stephanie Slater said nothing in the crash investigation indicates that Plotkin was texting or on the phone before the crash. Slater added that no criminal charges will be filed.

Court records show Plotkin was charged with careless driving. He is also being sued by Soto for at least $15,000 in damages. Soto’s attorney, Arthur Garcia Jr., said that amount could change.