RNR Daytona Employee is New Local Hero

Martin Cervantes (left) and John Bracy (right) in front of the RNR Daytona Store

The new RNR Wheels and Tire Express store in Daytona has seen a lot of excitement since opening in March of this year, but on Wednesday, April 24^th, at about 6:30 PM, things got more exciting than anyone ever wanted or expected.  As the store was closing, two employees, Martin Cervantes and John Bracy, were alerted by two young men passing by that a woman at the neighboring BP station was about to set her car on fire.  Shocked and not quite sure what to believe, they went to take a look—just as the woman set the car ablaze.  When they heard the woman yelling that her “babies” were in the car, Mr. Bracy didn’t stop to think, he just ran to rescue the children.  He was surprised to find two dogs instead.  He scooped the pups up and removed them from the burning car, but unfortunately, the chaos didn’t end there.
The woman in question ran out into the busy street (West   International Speedway Blvd.) and sat down.  Fearing she would be killed, Mr. Bracy went after her, eventually bringing her back into the parking lot.  Finding that she couldn’t be calmed and afraid that she might hurt herself or cause an accident, Mr. Bracy and his friend and co-worker, Martin Cervantes, restrained the woman until police arrived.
“It all happened really fast,” said Mr. Cervantes. “This woman just poured gasoline all over her car and set it on fire.  I’m not sure how my buddy wasn’t hurt because the whole back of the car was on fire.”  Fortunately for John, Martin, and the whole RNR team, no one was injured, and the woman was taken into custody without further incident.
Rafael Rivera, manager of RNR Wheels and Tire Express in Daytona, had this to say about the incident:  “Some people will stand by and watch, and others will jump into action with NO hesitation to do the right thing for others, and for that, I’m calling John a hero.”
RNR Wheels and Tire Express opened its Daytona doors on March 1^st, 2012, at 955 West   International Speedway Blvd., just up the street from Daytona International Speedway in what is called Daytona’s Mid-Town Redevelopment Area.  It is the company’s 9^th corporate location.