Southlake officer rescues driver from a car fire
By: Southlake, TX - A traffic stop along Highway 114 quickly turned into a life-saving rescue when a Southlake police officer pulled a driver from a burning vehicle before flames consumed the car.
Southlake Police Department Cpl. Joshua Swisher had just stopped a Mercedes for speeding when a call went out on his police radio about a vehicle billowing smoke. In that moment, he looked out his left driver-side window and saw the smoking car passing by.
"It had to have been the right time, right place kind of thing," Swisher said.
Dashboard camera and body camera video captured Swisher running down the busy highway toward the vehicle as flames began to erupt beneath it.
"Get out, get out, get out, get out," Swisher can be heard saying to the person inside the vehicle.
As smoke fills the car, Swisher said he tried to open the driver's door, but the handle came off, and he wondered, "How am I going to get this guy out of the car?"
Video shows Swisher breaking the driver-side window and pulling the stunned man to safety. Within seconds, the car is engulfed in flames.
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"Unfortunately, the car is not okay, but he was okay—and that's the most important part," Swisher said.
The rescue unfolded in less than 30 seconds. After he reviewed the dash camera footage, Swisher said he realized just how quickly the fire spread and the possible danger he and the driver were in.
"Just really happy the situation turned out as it did because the situation could have been a lot worse," he said.
The Southlake Police Department recognized Swisher with an award for his courageous actions. The department said the driver did not suffer any serious injuries.
"That's what we want to do, save lives. You talk to any officer; that's why they want to get in this profession," Swisher said. "It's always a similar answer: 'I want to help people. I want to be there for the community.'"
As for the driver Swisher originally stopped for speeding, the officer said the citation never happened.