The scene Holbrook Police officers arrived to early Sunday morning with a driver still trapped in the burning vehicle. (Photo Courtesy Holbrook Police Department)
HOLBROOK — Chief David Del Papa reports that three Holbrook Police officers rescued a driver trapped in a burning vehicle following a crash early Sunday morning.
On Sunday, Oct. 25, at approximately 3:20 a.m., Sgt. Martin Faherty and Officers Jonathan O’Brien and Matthew Richards responded to Pine Street for a report of a crash involving a Jeep that had caught fire.
Officer O’Brien arrived first and saw a utility pole snapped in half, low-hanging wires and flames spreading across the front of the Jeep. Bystanders alerted him that the driver was still trapped inside.
The driver had partially escaped the vehicle, but his right foot remained pinned beneath the damaged dashboard. His foot and sneaker were on fire.
Officer O’Brien tried to free the driver’s foot as Sgt. Faherty and Officer Richards arrived to help. Working together, the three officers pulled the driver free within approximately one minute of their arrival. Sgt. Faherty and Officer Richards then dragged him to safety.
Officer O’Brien sustained minor burns to his fingers during the rescue.
Holbrook Fire Department crews extinguished the vehicle fire, treated the driver and transported him to South Shore Hospital in Weymouth with injuries believed to be non-life-threatening.
“These officers did an incredible job under dangerous conditions,” Chief Del Papa said. “The outcome would have been much different had they not arrived so quickly and acted immediately. Their quick response likely saved his life.”
A preliminary investigation determined that the Jeep left the roadway, struck a utility pole and a tree, and crashed into a retaining wall near 206 Pine St. Several nearby properties sustained damage.
As a result of the on-scene investigation, Holbrook Police are seeking a summons for the driver, a 37-YEAR-OLD MALE, of HOLBROOK, on the following charges:
- Operating Under the Influence of Liquor (Second Offense)
- Negligent Operation of a Motor Vehicle
- Marked Lanes Violation
- Speeding
Because the court has not yet issued a criminal complaint, the individual’s identity cannot be released at this time.
The crash remains under investigation.
These are allegations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty.
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