Off-Duty Trooper Saves Two From Expressway Car Fire

An off-duty NJ State Police officer on his way to work in Atlantic City Tuesday morning risked his life to save a couple trapped in a raging car fire.

The Press of Atlantic City reports that Sgt. 1st Class James Mitchell, of the Casino Operations Unit, was eastbound on the expressway near mile post 6.9 when he saw a Nissan Pathfinder strike the median’s concrete barrier about 7:45am Tuesday.

The trooper was able to stop traffic in the left lane before approaching the car fully engulfed in smoke and flames and seeing that the driver was stuck trying to undo his safety belt.

After rescuing the driver from the car, Trooper Mitchell realized that the man's wife was still trapped in the passenger seat with her feet caught under the dashboard. Mitchell grabbed the woman underneath her arms and dragged her out the window.

The driver was not injured.The female passenger was hospitalized in stable condition.

The couple are lucky to be alive and can thank the efforts of NJ State Police Sgt. 1st Class James Mitchell.

Source: Press of Atlantic City