A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission police officer sprung into action Wednesday after seeing an overturned car that was leaking fuel on the side of U.S. 1 in the Florida Keys and rushed inside the vehicle to free the driver.
The cop, Officer Chris Lejarzar, feared the car would soon burst into flames because he heard the ignition restarting as gasoline was pouring out of the sedan, FWC spokeswoman Arielle Callender said.
Around 3:20 p.m., Callender said the car had crashed through a fence and was lying in the tree-line off the southbound shoulder of the 18 Mile Stretch of U.S. 1 in Key Largo when Lejarzar came upon the accident.
The woman was seriously injured inside. Lejarzar crawled through the broken rear window to get to her. He then cut the seatbelt, Callender said.
He soon had help from Monroe County Fire Rescue, Florida Highway Patrol and Monroe sheriff’s deputies, who all secured the car and extracted the woman, Callender said, adding that firefighters stopped the fuel leak.
“I commend Officer Lejarzar and our Monroe County partners for their swift and courageous response,” Lt. Col. Alfredo Escanio, FWC’s South Region deputy director, said in a statement. “Their actions demonstrate their bravery and dedication to protecting the community.”
Paramedics airlifted the woman to a mainland hospital. Her condition was not immediately available Thursday.
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