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Pendleton Marine braves gunfire to save wounded man

9 May 2002 | Cpl. Danielle M. Bacon Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- It's not every day a Marine gets the opportunity to save someone's life, but for one local Marine who braved a gunman's bullets to rescue a stranger May 1 along Interstate 5, it's a chance he will never forget.

Lance Cpl. Trevor Farley ignored the gunfire and whisked wounded tow-truck driver Brian Naylor away. He also attempted to chase down the shooter and point him out to the California Highway Patrol.

The shooter, Henry Ricardo Enciso Jr., 26, a Los Angeles resident, fled onto the base and turned to fire when confronted by military police. The MPs and local law enforcement officers shot him dead.

Naylor suffered multiple gunshot wounds from bullets fired by Enciso. He's recovering at a local hospital.

"I still have my husband, and he can still be a father," said Melissa Naylor, wife of the wounded man, as she fought tears during a news conference here May 3.

At first, Farley had no idea lending a hand meant saving a life.

"I saw a blue Cadillac broken down, and was going to help, because I am mechanically inclined, but I saw the tow-truck pull up and decided they didn't need me anymore," Farley said.

Farley was at the Del Mar Chapel waiting to attend a class, about 70 yards away from the car, when he heard a sound that now keeps him awake at night.

"When I heard the first shot, I looked back in that direction and I saw the shooter, and I just reacted," said Farley, who jumped the fence separating Interstate 5 from Camp Pendleton.

Many cars passed the accident scene, but no one stopped to help the bleeding truck driver as he ran north on the southbound interstate.

"After I jumped the fence, I started running towards the shooter, but I saw Brian needed my help. By this time, he was running back to the truck in a state of shock. He had been shot four or five times already."

Farley helped Naylor run toward a call box 200 yards away - until the wounded driver couldn't run anymore.

"Once he stopped really running, I was dragging him towards the call box," said Farley, an Arizona native.

"It was all adrenaline. My knee didn't feel any pain," added Farley, currently awaiting a medical separation from the Corps because of a knee injury suffered a few months ago in a car accident.

Since the rescue, Farley says, his knee has caused him a lot of pain, but doesn't compare with what Naylor is going through.

"I have gone to see him every day since Wednesday. Well, not every day. I gave him a break on Saturday and Sunday," Farley chuckled. "He looks better every day."

The former civil air patrolman attributes his willingness to help to the CAP and the Marines.

"I think it had a lot to do with what I learned in the Marine Corps and Civil Air Patrol," said Farley, who teaches 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing personnel how to drive humvees.

Pendleton Marine braves gunfire to save wounded man

9 May 2002 | Cpl. Danielle M. Bacon Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

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MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- It's not every day a Marine gets the opportunity to save someone's life, but for one local Marine who braved a gunman's bullets to rescue a stranger May 1 along Interstate 5, it's a chance he will never forget.

Lance Cpl. Trevor Farley ignored the gunfire and whisked wounded tow-truck driver Brian Naylor away. He also attempted to chase down the shooter and point him out to the California Highway Patrol.

The shooter, Henry Ricardo Enciso Jr., 26, a Los Angeles resident, fled onto the base and turned to fire when confronted by military police. The MPs and local law enforcement officers shot him dead.

Naylor suffered multiple gunshot wounds from bullets fired by Enciso. He's recovering at a local hospital.

"I still have my husband, and he can still be a father," said Melissa Naylor, wife of the wounded man, as she fought tears during a news conference here May 3.

At first, Farley had no idea lending a hand meant saving a life.

"I saw a blue Cadillac broken down, and was going to help, because I am mechanically inclined, but I saw the tow-truck pull up and decided they didn't need me anymore," Farley said.

Farley was at the Del Mar Chapel waiting to attend a class, about 70 yards away from the car, when he heard a sound that now keeps him awake at night.

"When I heard the first shot, I looked back in that direction and I saw the shooter, and I just reacted," said Farley, who jumped the fence separating Interstate 5 from Camp Pendleton.

Many cars passed the accident scene, but no one stopped to help the bleeding truck driver as he ran north on the southbound interstate.

"After I jumped the fence, I started running towards the shooter, but I saw Brian needed my help. By this time, he was running back to the truck in a state of shock. He had been shot four or five times already."

Farley helped Naylor run toward a call box 200 yards away - until the wounded driver couldn't run anymore.

"Once he stopped really running, I was dragging him towards the call box," said Farley, an Arizona native.

"It was all adrenaline. My knee didn't feel any pain," added Farley, currently awaiting a medical separation from the Corps because of a knee injury suffered a few months ago in a car accident.

Since the rescue, Farley says, his knee has caused him a lot of pain, but doesn't compare with what Naylor is going through.

"I have gone to see him every day since Wednesday. Well, not every day. I gave him a break on Saturday and Sunday," Farley chuckled. "He looks better every day."

The former civil air patrolman attributes his willingness to help to the CAP and the Marines.

"I think it had a lot to do with what I learned in the Marine Corps and Civil Air Patrol," said Farley, who teaches 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing personnel how to drive humvees.