Massachusetts Officers Rescue Driver From Fiery Wreckage
Brave Holbrook officers pull an injured driver from a burning Jeep after a suspected DUI crash.
Heart-stopping police body camera footage captured the moment Massachusetts police officers pulled a driver from a fiery Jeep in an alleged drunk driving incident.
Holbrook police officer Jonathan O'Brien was the first to arrive on the scene of the crash at approximately 3:20 a.m. on Sunday. His body camera recorded him approaching the scene on Pine Street, where he reported a snapped utility pole and wires hanging over the road.
Bystanders alerted O'Brien that the driver was still inside the burning vehicle. Upon approaching, O'Brien found a 37-year-old man with one leg trapped and on fire beneath the damaged dashboard. The driver expressed fear of his foot being ripped off due to the entrapment and intense heat.
O'Brien, along with Sgt. Martin Faherty and Officer Matthew Richards, who had arrived shortly after, worked quickly to free the man's foot. The three officers managed to extricate the driver within one minute of their arrival and carried him to safety.
The driver was treated at the scene for non-life-threatening injuries and transported to a local hospital. Firefighters responded and extinguished the blaze. O'Brien sustained minor burns to his fingers during the rescue.
"These officers did an incredible job under dangerous conditions," Police Chief David Del Papa stated. "Their quick response likely saved his life."
Authorities believe the driver veered off the roadway, striking a utility pole and a tree before crashing into a retaining wall at a home on Pine Street. Several other properties were also damaged.
The driver is expected to be summoned on charges including operating under the influence of liquor, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, marked lanes violation, and speeding. The suspect's name has not been released pending the issuance of a criminal complaint.