Officer speaks out after rescuing driver trapped in burning car

Texas police officer Speaking After saving a driver from a burning car last month.

Southlake Police Department Cpl. Joshua Swisher said he was responding to a traffic stop on June 7, along State Highway 114, when he received a call about a car with heavy smoke.

“I parked my car on the shoulder, and around the same time, dispatch alerted me to a smoke investigation, and a possible vehicle fire,” Swisher told ABC News. “I was just thinking, ‘I’ve got to get to that car, pull it over, park it, and see if I can get that driver out of the car before it catches fire.’

The smoking car passed by Swisher on the highway, according to dashcam footage shared by the Southlake Police Department Share Facebook. Swisher began following the car in his car and had just pointed it onto the shoulder when it suddenly burst into flames.

A dashboard camera and a body camera captured the moment the burning car’s door handle broke when he tried to open it.

“And now, I’m thinking: How am I going to get him out of this car?” “From there, I put on my gloves,” Swisher said.

Camera footage shows thick black smoke billowing from the car’s windows while the driver is still trapped inside.

“I couldn’t see inside the car because of the amount of smoke coming out,” Swisher recalls.

Because he was unable to open the car door, Swisher said he decided to break the car window with his fist in order to get the driver out to safety.

“When the window broke, it was a relief for me,” he said. “Because I knew I had an exit point at that time.”

Camera footage shows Swisher pulling the driver from the car as it burst into flames, pulling him to safety.

According to Swisher, the driver, who was the only person in the car, was shaken but was able to drive away without serious injuries.

“It’s not every day something like this happens, but I was happy to be in the right place at the right time,” Swisher said.

The Southlake Police Department honored Swisher with its second highest honor, the Meritorious Conduct Award, for his quick thinking and life-saving actions that day. The award recognizes police officers who demonstrate exceptional courage, professionalism and performance while facing significant danger, according to the department.