A Texas police officer in the middle of a traffic stop noticed a car drive by, smoking and on fire. Before finishing the traffic stop, he raced to stop it then pulled the driver from it before it erupted into flames.
A dispatcher had alerted Corporal Joshua Swisher of the Southlake Police Department that a heavily smoking vehicle was headed in his direction while he was handling an unrelated traffic stop on Highway 114.
“I had a vehicle pulled over on the shoulder, and almost simultaneously, dispatch alerted me to a smoke investigation, possible vehicle fire,” Swisher told ABC News. “I was just thinking, ‘I gotta get to that vehicle, get it stopped and pulled over, and see if I can’t get that driver out of the vehicle before it goes up in flames.'”
When Corporal Swisher saw the vehicle, he gave chase and directed the driver to pull onto the shoulder. Flames began to spread beneath the car seconds after it came to a stop. Corporal Swisher saw that the driver was not getting out of the car as the fire grew more intense.
“Now, I’m thinking, ‘How am I gonna get him out of this car?’ And from there, I just put my gloves on,” Swisher told ABC News.
The officer’s quick reaction may have saved the driver’s life
“I could not even see inside the vehicle. The only thing I saw was hands, and it was the driver trying to get his door open from the inside,” Swisher told Fox 4 News.
Swisher said that because he was unable to open the car door, he made the decision to use his fist to smash the window in an attempt to free the driver.
“When the window shattered, that was a little bit of relief for me. ‘Cause I knew I had an exit point at that time,” he said.
Corporal Swisher then verified that no one else was inside the car while escorting the driver to safety. Thanks to Swisher, the driver did not suffer any serious injuries.
The Southlake Police Department awarded him with its Meritorious Conduct Award, the Department’s second-highest honor.
“Every day, our officers are prepared to respond to situations that can change in an instant,” said Police Chief Ashleigh Casey. “This incident is a powerful reminder that there is no such thing as a routine traffic stop or call. This recognition honors more than a courageous act – Corporal Swisher’s selfless actions reflect the character, training, and commitment our officers bring to every shift, every day to protect and serve the Southlake community.”