Police pulled a dazed man from a burning car after an accident on a New Jersey highway Monday in a daring rescue captured on camera.
Police say the driver, 28-year-old Andrew Ishak, of Waldwick, lost control while driving south on Route 17 around 12:10 a.m., veered off the road and struck a utility pole. Ishak's car flipped onto its roof and caught fire.
Paramus police officers Gil Maynard, Anthony Mordaga and Timothy Reed put out that fire, broke the side windows of the car and pulled Ishak to safety. Ishak was taken to a hospital with lacerations and injuries; he is expected to be OK.
The dashcam video shows officers pull up to the smouldering wreckage; one runs directly into the smoke, pointing a flashlight at the overturned car. He then bashes the windshield with the flashlight as he tries to help Ishak.
Another officer runs up to the wreckage to assist; both keep reaching into the front driver's seat, trying to talk to Ishak. The video shows two of the officers pull Ishak out of the wreckage, the victim's feet dragging along the pavement, as the third holds a fire extinguisher.
The front window of a lighting store on Route 17 was smashed when the utility pole and attached electrical wires came down, authorities said.
Route 17 southbound was closed about eight hours as authorities investigated.
