Well done deputy. I’m so happy disaster was averted.
This is an interesting one, a device that can reduce the number of high speed chases. That should reduce the potential for injuries, or death, to citizens, suspects and law enforcement. Hopefully new technologies will continue to help make everyone safer.
Not only were Officer Hernandez’s actions heroic, but there are also lessons here for public safety with electric vehicles.
Around 1:30 a.m. on July 19, Officer Hernandez and others on his shift responded to a major car crash on State Highway 121. A car was coming off of Sam Rayburn Tollway at the Grandscape/South Colony exit at a very high speed and hit the concrete barrier that caused a vehicle fire.
“Officer Hernandez was one of the first ones on the scene and had the mindset to get his fire extinguisher out,” Assistant Chief Goodson said. “What we learned about electric cars is that they burn very hot and they burn very quickly, so that fire extinguisher didn’t really help. He put that down and was told at that time that the driver was still inside. We couldn’t get in and he couldn’t get out.”
Officer Hernandez grabbed his breaching equipment, which is in every police car in The Colony, and knocked a hole in the vehicle’s window and was able to pry it off. He then dragged the driver out, who was in and out of consciousness.
“It was a very heroic act on his part,” Goodson said. “I have no doubt that after maybe a minute or two, had he not made that decision so quickly to go back and get those breaching tools — and his shift that supported him there — that driver likely would have suffered smoke inhalation and I don’t think he would have made it.”
Many LEOs have rescue tools in their cruisers. My son volunteers with a rescue squad in his time off, and serves as a member of their technical rescue team. He carries a Halligan bar as a LEO primarily for breaching doors, but when necessary has used it for vehicle entrapment.
First and foremost, what a great job 12-year-old Dwight Winbush did! He escaped the car, swam to shore, and flagged down help for his mom. He’s the real hero.
Officer Cobb was just doing his job in this case, but the good samaritans, like Mr. Munguia, went above and beyond what is expected of most citizens.
What a heart wrenching story.
“ A summer camp run by police officers is empowering a group of girls in Boston. The Massachusetts Association of Women in Law Enforcement, or MAWLE, is teaching young girls about the job and what it takes to be an officer.”
My nephew’s wife is a sergeant. She has had a great career. He retired from his own police job a few years ago.
It’s good to see young girls being introduced to these opportunities.
“The sheriff also credited Hoke EMS, Hoke Rescue, the Puppy Creek Fire Department, 911 dispatchers, as well as First Health Hoke emergency room and hospital staff for their respective parts in saving the child’s life.”
“when we all work together as a community, we can accomplish great things, even in the face of devastating situations,” Sheriff Virgil said.
If only more people realized and acted upon this.
Well done Sgt. Harrell!
Right place. Right time. Right mindset.
Well done Deputy Miron.
This could be in the dangerous category as well. The driver did a great job too.
I’ve never seen Speed, but it sounds like a real-life and more intense version of that. It does seem quite scary that a car’s computer is controlling the accelerator and that a malfunction could make it impossible for a driver to control the speed of a vehicle.
When our Ford Escape is on cruise control, it will change speeds automatically whenever there’s a sign for a different speed limit. It works great 99% of the time. Twice in the recent past, though, on highways the car has thought the speed limit changed to 85 mph! I have it set to always go 5 miles above the limit, so the car was trying to accelerate to 90 mph. The last time was on a very busy highway in Philadelphia. A little unnerving! I was able to brake and disengage cruise control, but yikes. These cars aren’t perfect yet.