Seven Cedar Hill police officers were honored for saving the life of a man whose SUV had overturned and caught ablaze in early September.
On Tuesday, October 25, the Cedar Hill police department recognized Sgt. Pritchett, Cpl. Herron, and officers Morrison, Pedraza, Pena, Carter, and Morris for their rescue.
The officers responded to a major accident call on September 3 at about 12:30 a.m. Someone told them that a vehicle had driven into a nearby wooded section and had caught fire, according to WFAA.
Police found the vehicle on its side and a man motionless in the front seat. Officers Pedraza and Morisson broke the glass of the sunroof and pulled the driver out, avoiding the flames on the front end of the SUV.
Multiple firearms were inside the vehicle, and ammunition could reportedly be heard exploding due to the blaze on an officer’s body-cam video.
Pedraza and Morrison passed the man to Herron, Carter, and Pena, who handed him to Morris and Pritchett. These two brought the crash victim to the roadway, where medical personnel was waiting. After treating the patient to stabilize him, they transported the man away.
“The quick response of the entire shift — recognition of the severity of the situation and immediate action — was outstanding work,” Cedar Hill police said about their lifesaving actions in a statement.
“This was a team effort that resulted in the removal of the subject from a clearly dangerous and life-threatening situation,” the department continued.