Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Brian Glunt | NAVAL STATION GREAT LAKES (November 18, 2025) — Electrician’s Mate Fireman...... read more read more
By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brian T. Glunt,
Surface Warfare Engineering School Command (SWESC) Great Lakes Public Affairs
NAVAL STATION GREAT LAKES (November 17, 2025) – Four U.S. Navy Sailors assigned to Surface Warfare Engineering School Command (SWESC) Great Lakes responded to an overturned car at a toll ramp exit, Nov. 11, in North Chicago, Ill.
Electrician’s Mate Fireman Apprentice Evan McKenzie, from Pittsburgh, Electrician’s Mate Fireman Apprentice David Oxner, from Pembroke, Mass., Electrician’s Mate Fireman Apprentice Dillon Weaver, from Semmes, Ala., and Gas Turbine Systems Technician (Electrical) Fireman Trevor Young, from Hamilton, Ohio, were returning via ride share to Naval Station (NAVSTA) Great Lakes after having dinner when they spotted an overturned vehicle at the toll plaza exit ramp onto Buckley Road.
“Weaver was the one who first saw the car and told our driver to pull over,” said Oxner. “There were two other bystanders there who had also just stopped to help. So we pulled over, hopped out, and noticed there were two occupants inside the upside-down vehicle. We tried to open the doors, but they were locked. We all got on the left side of the vehicle and the six of us pushed the car onto its side so we could open the back trunk and try to get these people out.”
Oxner added that one of the occupants seemed to be unconscious upon their arrival at the scene where the car was smoking but had stopped once they rolled the vehicle on its side. Oxner then called emergency services to tell them their location.
“We tried everything we could to get them out through the back [hatch], but due to a child car seat in the back-row seating, we just couldn’t do it that way,” added Oxner.
“Young climbed on top, the back door on the side was now open, so I held it open while he jumped in to check on the people,” said McKenzie. “By that time, the firefighters were on the way and Young was still in the car when they arrived.”
McKenzie also detailed how the vehicle had a sunroof but was too small for them to use as an emergency egress.
“You really don’t know what the situation is and how much time you have when you come across this kind of scenario, so I’d say it’s better to act and try to put your best effort in to help rather than do nothing and wait [for emergency services], because those few seconds could save somebody’s life,” added McKenzie.
Young attributed his Navy training to helping him respond to the situation.
“The Navy has trained me to take action,” said Young. “If you want to see something happen for the good, or if you just want to see change, you have to take action. There could be a day where we are in the same situation, where we are in that car. I would hope to expect that other people would help.”
“Do unto others as you would want unto yourself,” added Weaver. “That’s just how I was raised, but I know I am more well-equipped to respond to someone who is hurt through the training the Navy has given me.”
The four Sailors are currently enrolled as students in various training schools at SWESC on board NAVSTA Great Lakes.
“I am so incredibly proud of how these students responded to this urgent crisis while on liberty,” said Cmdr. Quentin Cooper, commanding officer of SWESC Great Lakes. “This is the second time within a month in which our Sailors have bravely responded to civilians in need, which is a great indicator that we, as a Navy, are effectively training Sailors to exhibit our core values of honor, courage, and commitment without hesitation.”
SWESC is responsible for providing technical training to every surface Navy engineer, quartermaster, boatswain and deck seaman, preparing each Sailor to perform on U.S. Navy ships operating around the globe.
For more information about Surface Warfare Engineering School Command Great Lakes, visit https://www.netc.navy.mil/SWESCGreatLakes/.
| Date Taken: | 11.17.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.18.2025 14:57 |
| Story ID: | 551418 |
| Location: | GREAT LAKES, ILLINOIS, US |
| Hometown: | HAMILTON, OHIO, US |
| Hometown: | PEMBROKE, MASSACHUSETTS, US |
| Hometown: | PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Hometown: | SEMMES, ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 1,110 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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