Officer Helps Raise over $4K for Student Whose Car Caught Fire After Buying It

A police officer in Delafield, Wisconsin, offered a teenager a helping hand when he found himself in an unfortunate situation last week.

On August 24, college student Aaron Rodriguez drove from Milwaukee to Oconomowoc to purchase a Dodge truck for $3,250 after working all summer to save up enough money to buy it, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

However, on his way home, the 19-year-old was forced to pull into a Kwik Trip in Delafield when smoke and flames started coming out of the truck.

“I was on scene almost immediately, and there were three people using fire extinguishers to spray out the fire,” said responding Delafield Police Officer Dan Barber, adding that the cause of the fire was unknown.

Once the flames were put out, Rodriguez had to pay an extra $174 to have it towed to Milwaukee.

Because his vehicle insurance was still in the application process, it was not a help to Rodriguez, according to Barber.

“It was a private sale between two individuals with an agreement as an as-is vehicle, and there was obviously nothing I could do professionally,” he noted.

The policeman’s heart went out to the young man who had worked 40 to 60 hours a week to buy the truck, so the next day when he was off duty he started a GoFundMe page to try and replenish the funds lost.

Once the $3,250 goal was met, several businesses also donated which brought the total amount raised to about $4,500.

In addition, the All World Transmissions business in Waukesha offered to donate an hour of vehicle inspection for Rodriguez, a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, when he bought another car.

Following the incident, Barber said he remembered what it was like to be a working college student.

“It takes you a while to save up. This was his first truck he was buying on his own. He purchased a truck with four-wheel drive because he had such a difficult time last year in the winter with a rear-wheel vehicle he was driving,” he explained.

When he learned about the community’s efforts to help him, Rodriguez felt humbled and grateful.

“I’m completely amazed that so many people were willing to lend me a hand,” he concluded.