CEDAR HILL, Texas — Seven North Texas officers are being honored for their efforts in saving the life of a driver whose vehicle overturned in a ditch and caught fire.
The Cedar Hill Police Department on Tuesday recognized the actions by Sgt. Pritchett, Cpl. Herron, and officers Morrison, Pedraza, Pena, Carter and Morris during the rescue on Sept. 3, 2022.
Police said the seven officers responded to a major accident call just before 12:30 a.m. that night on New Clark and FM 1382. They were told that a vehicle had drive into a wooded area and was engulfed in flames.
Police said officers found the vehicle on its side and that the front of it was on fire, about 50 feet from the roadway.
According to police, the officers found a man in the front seat who was not moving. Due to the flames at the front of the SUV, officers Morrison and Pedraza broke the glass of the sunroof and pulled him from the vehicle.
The two officers then passed the driver to Carter, Pena and Herron, who then passed him over a large tree trunk to Morris and Pritchett to the roadway, where medical crews were stationed, police said.
Police said that while the officers were removing the driver, they saw multiple firearms inside the vehicle and heard rounds going off due to the flames.
Medical crews treated and transported the driver, who said he couldn't feel anything below his chest, police said.
"The quick response of the entire shift, recognition of the severity of the situation, and immediate action was outstanding work," Cedar Hill police said 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 seven officers were honored on Tuesday night with a life-saving award, the department said.